Learning Support Assistant Role: SEMH & Youth Justice Pathway – Graduate Learning Support Assistant
Specialist SEMH School – West Drayton | Strong links to London Youth Offending & Safeguarding Services)
Start Date: September 2026
Pay: £101.40 per day | Term time only | 8:30am – 3:45pm
Are you a Criminology, Psychology, or Social Science graduate who wants to understand the real intersection between SEMH, school exclusion, and the youth criminal justice system?
Do you want to work directly with vulnerable children in a London-linked SEMH setting—children who are at high risk of knife crime, gang exploitation, criminalisation, and the school-to-prison pipeline?
If you’re aspiring to become a Forensic Psychologist, Youth Justice Officer, Probation Practitioner, Clinical Psychologist, or Social Worker, this role offers front-line, trauma-informed experience that most graduate schemes cannot provide.
Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant – Education and Training – Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant
The Role: SEN Learning Support Assistant (SEMH Focus)
You will join a specialist SEMH school in Slough—a setting that supports pupils whose complex needs are often rooted in:
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Community violence and exposure to crime
- Family breakdown and poverty
- Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and gang affiliation
- Knife crime and serious youth violence
Many of these young people have been permanently excluded from mainstream education or are on the edge of the criminal justice system. Your role will be to support them to re-engage with learning, regulate their emotions, and make safer choices—often in moments of crisis.
Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant – Education and Training – Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant
What You Will Gain – Practical Experience in Youth Justice & SEMH Intervention
This is not a passive classroom role. You will be actively involved in:
- Emotional regulation and de-escalation – supporting pupils during heightened states of distress or aggression
- Restorative practice – facilitating conversations around harm, consequences, and repair
- 1:1 and small-group mentoring – delivering interventions focused on decision-making, peer pressure, and risk awareness
- Behaviour support – working alongside specialist staff to implement tailored behaviour plans
- Safeguarding in practice – contributing to risk assessments, incident reporting, and contextual safeguarding (peer groups, home environment, community risks)
- Knife crime prevention – supporting workshop-style inputs and reflective discussions around violence, carrying weapons, and personal safety
- Trauma-informed practice – learning how to build trusting relationships with young people who have experienced significant harm and rejection
Why This Role Is Ideal for Graduates Targeting the Criminal Justice Sector
This school sits within a wider London-and-Slough safeguarding network, with strong links to:
- Youth Offending Teams (YOTs)
- Early Help and Family Support Services
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Forensic and Clinical Psychology pathways
You will see firsthand how SEMH needs, unmet trauma, and school exclusion are among the strongest predictors of youth offending. This experience will give you a credible, practice-based foundation for future applications to:
- Forensic Psychology Doctorates
- Youth Justice & Probation Graduate Schemes
- Social Work (Children & Families)
- Clinical Psychology (particularly in CAMHS or secure settings)
- Counselling and Therapeutic Services
Training & Professional Development – Fully Funded
Milk Education provides career-focused CPD tailored to graduates pursuing criminal justice and mental health careers:
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Behaviour De-escalation & Positive Handling
- Contextual Safeguarding & Exploitation Awareness
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Restorative Practice & Conflict Resolution
- Knife Crime & Serious Violence Prevention
You will also receive free access to Milk Academy, with over 1,000 accredited CPD courses—many directly relevant to your future career.
Who We Are Looking For
- Graduates in Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Youth & Community Work, or related Social Science disciplines
- Individuals who are calm, reflective, emotionally intelligent, and comfortable working with high-risk, challenging behaviour
- People who understand that behaviour is communication—and who are committed to early intervention, not punishment
- Graduates who are passionate about violence reduction, safeguarding, and social justice
- Candidates who can commit to the full academic year (September 2026 – July 2027) and who want to use this role as a launchpad into the criminal justice or mental health workforce
Key Information
- Location: Slough (easily commutable from West London, with excellent rail and road links)
- Pay: £101.40 per day
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 3:45pm (term time only)
- Start Date: September 2026
- Interviews & Trial Days: July – August 2026
Why Milk Education?
- 5-star rated agency with over 3,000 reviews
- Wellbeing-led – access to a mental health platform with counselling support
- Eco-friendly – the UK’s only environmentally conscious education agency
- 24/7 consultant support – a dedicated point of contact for you
- Free wellbeing resources, PSHE materials, and school preparation packs
- Access to Unbottled – bringing lived-experience speakers into schools to talk about violence, exploitation, and resilience
- Flexible registration and fast-track compliance
Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant – Education and Training – Aspiring Youth Justice/Criminal Justice/Social Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant