Supporting Children With SEMH at School

semh is the term used to describe children and young people who have social, emotional or mental health difficulties. They may have difficulty forming relationships, or exhibit challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour and this can often be a manifestation of underlying conditions such as anxiety, depression or ADHD.

Understanding SEMH: Exploring its Importance and Impact

For many of these pupils, school is a place where they struggle to feel positive about themselves and this can lead to problems in a variety of areas. The most obvious of these is the impact on their academic achievement. This is compounded by difficulties with their relationships, causing them to feel low in self-worth and lacking in confidence.

Similarly, impulsive behaviour can be a direct result of an unmet need and this can cause significant disruption in class. It is therefore crucial that teachers are aware of this and can recognise when there are underlying issues.

Schools should be able to support children with SEMH needs through a range of strategies, including teaching social and emotional skills. This should be an integral part of the curriculum and help to develop awareness, self-belief, resilience and planning. It is also important to keep up-to-date with the latest research and guidance around SEMH, and to be able to interpret the behaviour of children with these needs as an expression of their needs.

Additionally, supporting pupils to engage in outside-of-school activities is an important way of enabling them to build the belief that there is life beyond school and to begin to trust adults. Providing this kind of support early can prevent issues from escalating, improve outcomes and promote a more positive educational experience for all pupils.