An exciting opportunity has arisen within Barnsley Council. We are seeking to appoint a full time, specialist SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) teacher to work within our highly valued and well-established Education Inclusion Service to support the borough-wide inclusion of children and young people who have SEND. We would be particularly interested in hearing from applicants with expertise in all areas of SEND but with a focus on SEMH needs. Alongside other teams and professionals you will support the work of the Barnsley Schools Alliance in partnership with schools and settings. You will be joining a team of improvement officers and will be expected to have excellent communication skills and the ability to upskill staff in mainstream schools to support children and young people with SEMH needs.  

The 3-year fixed term contract is term time only and will involve providing consultation, advice, interventions, and strategies to remove barriers to learning and promote successful outcomes for individual and groups of children and young people within educational settings.  There will be a key focus on whole school improvement and reviewing provision in relation to SEND with a key focus on SEMH needs. The post will involve working closely with all our schools and settings, children, young people and parents/carers.

We are looking for candidates with:

·       A relevant teaching qualification.

·       Training and/or qualifications in relation to SEMH needs

·       An understanding of Trauma Informed Practice

·       Up to date expertise and knowledge of SEND legislation including the Code of Practice for SEN and statutory guidance and how this should be applied in education settings to ensure whole school inclusion.

·       Considerable experience of working in schools with children and young people who have SEND, including knowledge of strategies, approaches and resources to support inclusion and social, emotional mental health needs.

·       The ability to plan and deliver effective training

·       Understanding of SEMH needs and of approaches to meeting these in a mainstream school setting

·       The ability to collaborate effectively with school staff, leaders and across multi-agency teams and partners

·       A focus on the wellbeing of students, taking a holistic view of each individual child and their circumstances

·       A child-centred approach, offering tailored and bespoke advice to support SEMH needs.

·       The skills to support school staff to develop their capacity and understanding to support children and young people with SEMH needs

·       The ability to promote sustainable and positive change in relation to SEMH in education settings.

If you are interested in using your skills and experience in this role, we would like to hear from you. For more information, or to have an informal conversation, please contact

Bev Bradley – SEND Improvement Service Manager bevbradley@barnsley.gov.uk  

Full-time, 3 year fixed term contract, term time only

Salary: MPS/UPS +SEN allowance