Psychology and Criminology Graduate Teaching Assistant

Overview

8:30am – 3:30pm, 4 days per week £14.25 per hour.

Start Date:

1st September 2026.

Seeking Psychology or Criminology graduates to support young people with additional needs and mental health challenges in a specialist college environment in central Bath.

As a Therapeutic Support Assistant, you will work closely with students in the classroom and around the college, providing consistent, person‑centred support tailored to individual needs.

You will use structured, relational, and autism‑informed approaches to help students engage with learning, develop communication skills, regulate emotions, and manage daily routines successfully. You will become a key trusted adult for students, helping to create a calm, safe, and supportive environment where they can thrive both academically and personally.

• Autism (ASC)
• Moderate to severe learning disabilities
• Communication and sensory needs
• Social, emotional, and mental health needs
• Anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties
• Additional needs linked to previous adverse experiences

• Provide tailored classroom and therapeutic support
• Support emotional regulation using calm and consistent approaches
• Build positive, trusting relationships with students
• Help students engage with learning and daily routines
• Use autism‑informed and trauma‑informed strategies
• Support communication, confidence, and independence
• Work collaboratively with teachers, therapists, and pastoral teams
• Promote student wellbeing, safety, and inclusion throughout the day

• Hands‑on experience supporting young people with SEN and mental health needs
• Experience applying psychological and behavioural theory in practice
• Training in autism‑informed practice, behaviour support, and communication strategies
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary therapeutic team
• Insight into neurodiversity, cognition, emotional regulation, and mental health support
• Excellent experience for careers in:
  • Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Mental Health Support
  • Counselling & Therapy
  • Youth Justice & Probation
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech & Language Therapy
  • Social Work
  • SEN Education
• Opportunity for long‑term or permanent roles

• Graduate in Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, Education, or a related field
• Passionate about supporting young people with additional needs
• Interested in mental health, behaviour, neurodiversity, or therapeutic work
• Calm, patient, empathetic, and resilient
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills
• Experience supporting young people is desirable (education, care, youth work, mentoring, SEN support, coaching, or volunteering)

James Mochan –