While the corpus of knowledge for teaching assistants (TAs) grows, less emphasis has been placed on specialised TAs, particularly those who adopt the 'nurture approach' when working with children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). To explore this a case study was made of TAs and teachers at a special, nurturing primary school for children with SEMH. TAs were canvassed for their perceptions of their pedagogical ethos, characteristics and training. Similarly, classroom teachers and managers were also surveyed for their perceptions. Results show that TAs demonstrate a sound understanding of the nurture approach; value the traits of empathy, resilience and patience; and place high value on experiential learning for training. Teachers were found to prioritise knowledge for the TA role, while TAs emphasised pupil support and teamwork. Issues of role parity and relationships are discussed.