8:30am – 3:30pm, 4 days per week £14.25 per hour Start Date: 1st September 2026 Are you a Psychology or Criminology graduate looking to gain meaningful, hands-on experience supporting young people with additional needs and mental health challenges? This is an excellent opportunity for graduates interested in educational psychology, mental health, clinical practice, youth justice, social care, counselling, or therapeutic work to develop real-world experience within a specialist college environment in central Bath. You will support young people with autism, learning disabilities, emotional regulation needs, and complex backgrounds, helping them to access education, build independence, and feel safe, understood, and supported within a structured setting. Why Psychology & Criminology Graduates Are Well Suited to This Role Graduates in Psychology and Criminology bring a strong understanding of human behaviour, emotional regulation, communication, trauma, and mental health. Many students in specialist college settings experience anxiety, social communication difficulties, low confidence, sensory overwhelm, or challenges linked to previous life experiences. The ability to build trust, remain calm under pressure, understand behaviour as communication, and develop positive therapeutic relationships is central to this role. Your studies will have given you valuable insight into: • Mental health and emotional wellbeing • Behavioural and cognitive development • Trauma-informed approaches • Communication and relationship-building • Neurodiversity and individual differences • The importance of consistency, empathy, and safeguarding This role offers the chance to apply that knowledge in a highly rewarding, practical setting while gaining experience that is directly relevant to careers in psychology, mental health, therapy, education, youth work, probation, social work, and related fields. About the Role 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. About the Setting This specialist college supports young people with: • 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 The environment is highly supportive, structured, and relationship-focused, with a strong emphasis on student wellbeing, emotional safety, and independence. Staff work collaboratively with therapists, behaviour specialists, teachers, and support teams to ensure every student can access education in a way that works for them. Key Responsibilities • 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 What You’ll Gain • 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: o Educational Psychology o Clinical Psychology o Mental Health Support o Counselling & Therapy o Youth Justice & Probation o Occupational Therapy o Speech & Language Therapy o Social Work o SEN Education • Opportunity for long-term or permanent roles Ideal Candidate • 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) If you’re looking to gain meaningful experience supporting young people with autism, additional needs, and mental health challenges while building skills relevant to psychology, criminology, and therapeutic careers, apply now. INDSW<br/><br />If you are interested, then please click on the apply button and contact James Mochan on 0117 472 2400.<br /><br />If you are not interested in this role but know someone else who might be, <strong>don&#39;t forget that we offer &pound;50 in shopping vouchers if you refer a friend to us and we place them in the job.</strong> For more details, contact your local Axcis office.<br /><br /><em>This is a temporary position, unless stated otherwise.</em><br /><br /><em>Axcis is an equal opportunities employer and as such we do not discriminate based on age, gender, disability, race or any other equal opportunities criteria.<br /><br />The company is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As such, you will be required to provide an up to date DBS, or be prepared to allow Axcis to process one on your behalf, in addition to other mandatory compliance checks in line with the DfE guidelines (for details please see our website).<br /><br />If the position you are applying for involves working with children or vulnerable adults, this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.</em><br /><br /><em>Axcis Education is an employment agency offering temporary supply work for daily, short-term and long-term assignments in addition to permanent positions.<br /><br />You must be suitably qualified for the position advertised and be prepared to attend a face to face interview with Axcis to demonstrate your suitability for this role.<br /><br />Salary / Pay Rate will be dependent on your skills and experience.</em><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#e0004d;"><a href="/job-page-disclaimer">View the disclaimer</a></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#e0004d;"><strong>Contact: </strong></span><strong> James Mochan&nbsp;</strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#e0004d;">Telephone: </span> 0117 472 2400</strong></strong>