Aspiring Youth Justice Officer - Learning Support Assistant Ealing

Pay: £108 per day
Location: Ealing
Start Date: September 2026 (flexible intake)
Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am - 3:45 pm, term time only
Training: Full education, training, and CPD provided

Are you a criminology, psychology, or sociology graduate looking for the perfect role to launch your career in youth justice? This Learning Support Assistant position is an ideal opportunity to gain substantial hands on experience working with vulnerable young people in a secondary school and alternative provision setting in Ealing. You will be supporting students who face complex barriers to learning, including social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, challenging behaviour, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

The school and its alternative provision provide a structured, supportive, and restorative environment for young people who have struggled in mainstream education. By utilising trauma informed practices and positive behaviour management strategies, the team supports pupils in re engaging with education, developing pro social skills, and building pathways toward positive futures. This role offers an excellent foundation for graduates aiming to progress into youth justice, probation, policing, social work, or forensic psychology.

Milk Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are proudly APSCo Compliance+ accredited, reflecting our dedication to the highest standards in safer recruitment. All applicants will be subject to thorough compliance checks in line with DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and APSCo guidelines.

This Learning Support Assistant role within a secondary school and alternative provision offers the opportunity to:

• Gain In-Depth Experience: Support vulnerable young people on both an individual and small group basis, developing a profound understanding of the factors that lead to youth offending, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), SEMH needs, and behavioural challenges.
• Apply Restorative and Behavioural Principles: Observe and participate in the application of restorative justice approaches, de escalation techniques, and positive behaviour support strategies used to manage conflict and repair relationships.
• Work with a Multi Agency Team: Collaborate closely with teachers, pastoral staff, SENCOs, and external agencies such as social care and youth offending teams (YOTs), gaining insight into holistic interventions and the multi agency approach central to youth justice.
• Build Core Professional Skills: Develop essential skills for a career in youth justice, including rapport building with hard to reach young people, boundary setting, risk assessment, reflective practice, and professional report writing.
• Make a Real Difference: Have a meaningful impact on young people's life chances by supporting their personal development, reducing barriers to education, and helping to steer them away from involvement in the justice system.

This role offers a unique and powerful opportunity to explore the intersection of neurodiversity, social justice, and youth offending. Autistic children and young people are disproportionately vulnerable to criminalisation and social exclusion, often due to misunderstandings around their communication styles, sensory needs, and social interactions being misinterpreted as challenging or oppositional behaviour.

As a Learning Support Assistant in Ealing, you will play a crucial role in breaking this cycle. You will:

• Champion Neuro Inclusive Practice: Learn to identify and support the specific needs of autistic young people, using tailored communication strategies, sensory regulation techniques, and predictable routines to create a safe, accessible learning environment. This directly reduces the risk of conflict and exclusion.
• Bridge the Gap Between Education and Community: Work with young people to develop essential life and social skills that empower them to navigate their community safely and successfully. By building their confidence and self advocacy, you help prevent the social isolation that nets them targets for exploitation or dis engagement.
• Apply a Social Justice Lens: Understand how systemic barriers, diagnostic delays, and a lack of appropriate support can push autistic young people toward the margins. Your work will be rooted in the principle that every young person deserves a fair chance, and that true youth justice means addressing underlying needs rather than simply punishing behaviour.
• Build Trusting Relationships: Develop the patience and empathy needed to connect with young people who may have had negative experiences with authority figures. By offering consistent, unconditional positive regard, you can become a trusted adult who helps them see a different path forward.
• Influence Future Practice: The insights you gain from this frontline role will be invaluable for your future career in youth justice, probation, or social work, equipping you with a deep, practical understanding of neurodiversity and its critical importance in fair and effective interventions.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• A strong academic background in criminology, psychology, sociology, or a related discipline, with a clear interest in youth justice, offending behaviour, or social care.
• Previous experience supporting children or young people, particularly those with challenging behaviour, SEMH needs, or autism (desirable but not essential; passion and the right attitude are key).
• A resilient, patient, and empathetic approach, with the ability to remain calm in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trusting relationships with young people who may be disengaged or mistrustful of authority.
• A genuine commitment to helping young people make positive changes and access better opportunities.
• A proactive, reflective attitude and a willingness to learn within a specialist setting.

This role is more than just a job; it is a valuable stepping stone for aspiring youth justice officers and allied professionals, providing practical, front line experience that directly supports your long term professional development and future applications.

• Excellent rates of pay - £108 per day.
• Speedy registration process with fast track compliance.
• Flexible working days and hours to suit your schedule (term time only).
• 5-star rated agency with over 3,000 reviews across Google and Facebook.
• Exclusive partnerships with schools and trusts in the Ealing area.
• FREE access to our Perks Portal, offering discounts similar to the Blue Light Card.
• Access to 1,000+ accredited and discounted CPD courses through Milk Academy.
• FREE PSHE lesson plans and classroom resources, created by qualified teachers.
• FREE Educator Wellbeing eBook and access to our wellbeing hub, including CPD and fitness modules.
• School Preparation Pack to support you ahead of your placements.
• 24/7 support from your dedicated personal consultant.
• Access to our Unbottled programme, bringing lived experience speakers into schools to cover topics such as mental health, discrimination, and exploitation.
• Join the UK's only eco-friendly education supply agency.

Milk Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We are proudly APSCo Compliance+ accredited, reflecting our dedication to the highest standards in safer recruitment. All applicants will be subject to thorough compliance checks in line with DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and APSCo guidelines.