Job Description:

Mental Health Support Worker

Location: Waltham Forest, East London
Job Type: Full-Time, Term Time Only
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most

We are seeking a compassionate, resilient, and experienced Mental Health Support Worker to join our inclusive secondary school in Waltham Forest. This is a rewarding opportunity to support vulnerable young people who present with significant mental health needs and require specialist intervention to access education successfully.

The successful candidate will have substantial experience working with young people who have experienced severe mental health difficulties, including self-harming behaviours, suicidal ideation, emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other complex needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide daily pastoral and emotional support to students with complex mental health needs.
• Build trusting relationships with vulnerable young people, promoting resilience, wellbeing, and engagement with education.
• Support students presenting with self-harming behaviours and work alongside safeguarding, pastoral, and external mental health professionals to ensure appropriate interventions are in place.
• Conduct and contribute to risk assessments, behaviour support plans, and wellbeing strategies.
• Work collaboratively with teachers, families, social workers, CAMHS, and other external agencies.
• Support students during periods of emotional crisis using trauma-informed and restorative approaches.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to safeguarding documentation.
• Promote positive mental health awareness across the school community.

Essential Requirements

• Previous experience supporting young people with severe mental health needs.
• Experience working with individuals at risk of self-harm and/or suicidal ideation.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and risk management.
• Experience within education, mental health services, CAMHS, youth work, residential care, social care, or specialist provisions.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and resilient in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to promoting the welfare and wellbeing of children and young people.

Desirable

• Relevant qualification in Mental Health, Psychology, Counselling, Youth Work, Social Care, Health & Social Care, or a related field.
• Experience working within a secondary school, SEMH provision, PRU, or alternative setting.
• Training in Mental Health First Aid, Safeguarding, Team Teach, CPI, or other positive behaviour support methodologies.

Safeguarding Statement

This school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, online checks, and satisfactory references in line with safer recruitment practices.

To apply, please submit your CV and a supporting statement outlining your experience supporting young people with complex mental health needs, including experience managing or supporting individuals at risk of self-harm.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.

All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.