I hate my job as SEND teaching assistant

[fluffy71]

I hope I won’t get flayed alive for this but exactly the above. Started in KS1 at a mainstream school in Sept to work one to one with a child with an EHCP. There were two jobs advertised to look after 2 children 1-1. Turns out the ratio is actually 2 adults to 3 children apart from an hour at the start and end of the day where it’s 1 adult with all 3 children. The third child has no care plan in place so the one to one support the other two are entitled to is being shared with this third child. I understand now that this is the norm in schools due to shortfalls in funding. I thought this would be manageable as I believe children need to develop independence and learn to play with others and not have a 1-1 breathing down their necks all the time. The staff at school are really lovely and devoted to all the children. Though I just feel exhausted. I feel like my heart is racing all the time, trying to manage their unpredictable and often destructive behaviour. All three children are developmentally around 3 years below their chronological age. School are happy with the job I do and I do my very best for the children every day but I don’t know how much longer I can carry on. Though leaving would badly impact the rest of the staff and all the children in the class but I’m starting to dread going to work. I am a parent and have worked with older students with additional needs before so didn’t go into this role totally blind to the demands.

Feel for you OP. This type of work isn’t for everyone and that doesn’t make you a bad person.

I actually know someone who did a similar role to you and it was having a negative impact on her physical and mental health. She too felt guilty about leaving but got offered another job (a more standard TA role) and the difference in her is remarkable. She is so glad she left.

I’d start looking for other jobs and as long as you give notice the current place will be able to find a replacement.

Talk to your school - maybe you could be deployed as a more general class TA. If you can't, give correct notice and leave for a job you like - you can't live like that, stress is really bad for you.

That sounds awful, OP, and it won't change. Start looking for more standard TA / SEN work.

My daughter did agency work for a little while where it was an unmanageable workload and it ended up with her being permanently injured. She now has a permanent disability which wasn’t even registered in the accident book.
You really do have to put yourself first in these environments

I would talk to your line manager. Tell them you are making plans to leave at the end of the academy year/Easter because you are unhappy and see what they say.

Will the child without a plan be getting one? Are you the only one doing 1-3 on the mornings and afternoons or is it (can it be) rotated to ease the burden? Can you be rotated elsewhere for either mornings or afternoons? (The 1-2-1 TAs in my school have different children in the morning to the afternoon, I'm guessing so they have a change of pace with different needs)

I've done the type of work you describe OP, and honestly, it's bloody hard and I didn't enjoy it.
Seriously, the people who do it long-term and enjoy it are angels on earth. I don't know how they do it.

There's absolutely no shame in realising a job isn't for you.

If the children are being destructive etc they aren't having their needs met. That's not a reflection on you OP. It sounds like they need more or different support. It's on the senco to sort that out. Have you flagged the issues?

Have you seen the EHCPs? Often 1-1s are shared when they shouldn't be or a child needs a sole 1-1 but the plan is written inappropriately so 1-1s are shared around again. If the child with no plan needs a 1-1 why aren't the school securing this? If they all need 1-1 why are you being left with all 3?

Other SEND TA’s in the school tend to work with different children at different times but my colleague and I are allocated solely to these 3. I’ve asked management if the school have applied for a care plan for child 3 and been told different things. One said yes, the other said another LSA currently on long term
sick leave will be allocated to them. A lot of information is on a need to know basis and I haven’t actually seen the EHCP for the other two.

1:1 in mainstream is the hardest version of being a TA. If SEND is your thing, I would look for a job in a good resourced unit or special school. If it isn't, I'd look for a general class TA post (if such a thing still exists anywhere).

Leaving would only impact them badly if it comes to a head and you just can't face going in one day. Be honest that it's not for you and you either want to be a regular TA or you will unfortunately have to go to another school. Don't be guilt tripped. You deserve to be happy in your job. Good luck

Just resign as soon as you can find a better job. You owe them nothing.

You get one life, it's pointless doing something that's making you miserable.

You might find you love being a SEND TA if you were in a setting that is able to properly support you and the children. It’s much harder when you’re trying to slot somewhere into a mainstream environment which doesn’t have the resources or the curriculum you need.

I'm currently training to be a TA and I already know that ideally I don't want to be a 1-1 TA although finances may dictate I can't be picky! I would much rather be a general TA.

You're not going to be any help to anyone if or when you end up very ill because of your work situation. I don't mean to be blunt. I don't think this is the job for you. I persevered with a job thinking I would be letting people down if I left. I ended up ill and off sick. You need to be well to fulfil your role. Can you be well in your current role? The answer is in your own post - you're starting to dread going to work. Look after your own wellbeing OP.

A lot of information is on a need to know basis and I haven’t actually seen the EHCP for the other two

That's quite surprising, how are you supposed to be getting these children making progress towards their targets if you don't know what the targets are or the strategies to be used? If you were my child's 1:1 TA I'd be livid that you were put in that position and that my child wasn't getting the targetted intervention he was supposed to be having.

Have you been included in any meetings about these children and the formulation of the plans that their EHCPs are based around? Because again, if not then both you and the children are being sold short. It's not remotely good enough, I don't blame you for wanting to leave.

Plus my child had a funded 1:1 TA just for him throughout his KS1 and KS2 years. If he'd had to share that TA with two other pupils with SEND on a regular, full time basis I'd have been totally pissed off.

Aside from that, no job is worth making yourself ill. You need to look out for yourself as your employer probably won't

I have done TA work on a supply basis. I have done a mix of general TA and SEND 1:1 (or more often than not, 2:1). I much prefer the general TA. I usually get a few children to focus on still, but it's nowhere near as intense as the 1:1, which I would never accept on a regular basis. It's often just really hard work, unpredictable and you don't feel like you're getting anywhere. I've often come home with a headache, plus it's very low paid for what can be a demanding role with challenging behaviour.

No I haven’t been able to see the plans “as they are so long with so much information” and I’ve not been involved in any meetings with my line manager or SENDco lead. I’m starting to wonder now if the other two’s EHCP have not been finalised yet and they are just trying to cobble together the best they can until extra funding comes in!

I also work as a 1:1 SEN TA and find myself in a similar situation to you, OP, with regards to the passage of information. It just doesn’t happen. I also don’t ever get asked how my pupil is getting on. If I had a specific concern or safeguarding concern I would of course report it, but I am never asked about day to day progress or thoughts on what is working well/not working/ targets etc.

I am also the lowest ranked TA in school. The Headteacher made reference in an email about the staff survey she was sending out. This never came to me so I can only assume that I am not included in this.

We held a termly meeting about progress when Ds was in primary, with CT and TA. He didn't have an EHCP then, just an IEP with IPF. The TA and teacher had notes of what was working and things they had tried with or without success so they could back up their suggestions in the meetings with evidence. I get a horrible suspicion the protocol I expected just isn't applied as standard any more.

Crikey. I had such immense respect for the TAs my son had. Without them he would have been a mute, miserable little bundle, shut down and withdrawn into himself. I loved them all, they tried so hard to help and made the most massive difference. Maybe @RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway your HT missed you off by accident, they can't possibly think you're in any way lowest ranked - unless they're just a crap school with a crap ethos regarding disabled children

YANBU I used to work the same job and some of the students I would support would be hard work, but some would be easy and lovely. Still I didn't last long because it was so exhausting and on top of that, after all that hard work my pay would cover food, bills and one takeaway a month. It's horrific.

Regular schools just aren't set up to properly engage the more extreme spectrum of SEND children.

I've visited specialist schools where everything is geared towards SEND and the engagement is truly brilliant. A fully SEND assembly is nothing short of inspiring.

Such a shame you're in a role where SEND provision is a square peg shoved into a round hole. I agree with other - get yourself into a specialist school where you can actually feel supported too.

I. would hate to be a 1-1 SEND TA, it’s ridiculously sole destroying hard work. I’d honestly leave.

As our TA’s leave they are not replaced due to budgets. People on here are absolutely clueless to the reality of what goes on in schools. It’s a constant battle.

I'm a "regular" TA, been in role for 9 years and can't take any more. I'm tired of it all and the heart racing has turned into proper panic and generalised anxiety disorder. It's unhealthy and I am struggling with the level of "performance " that I'm expected to turn on. Add the high needs kids, the high needs parents and I'm actually done.
Just need to find my big girl pants and get out before my physical and mental health declines to a point where I can't recover.

Well, if you were hired to be a 1-to-1 for one DC and you're actually looking after three DC for part of the time, I think I'd be going through my contract with a fine tooth comb and checking that they're not taking the piss, because it sounds like they are. One person to three SEN kids, when all of them actually need a 1-to-1 is dreadful for everyone and I'm not surprised you're exhausted. If one of them injures themselves or someone else while you're supervising them what will happen to you?

I feel your pain, I've been there and done that job. I love it but it can be a bit much. I left as I didn't need to work term time only.