SEMH covers a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which can present in many ways. This may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, or displaying challenging or distressed behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health needs such as depression and anxiety.
SEMH needs can also arise due to an unmet Special Educational Need, such as a learning or language need, or may be linked to experiences of adversity, trauma or interruptions to attachments.
Support in schools
We’ve produced guidance for schools about the support that should be available to all children and young people to help them thrive in school, regardless of whether they have any specific needs. This is known as ‘Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision‘ (OAIP).
We’ve created additional guidance for schools on supporting children and young people with SEND. This is called the ‘Targeted Support Framework‘.
Information for parents
The Targeted Support Framework also includes links to resources for parents if their child or young person has difficulties in any of these areas.
We’ve created this summary page to explain more about different areas of social, emotional or mental health needs, with links to resources that parents may find useful.
Areas of SEMH needs
Emotional regulation
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage and respond to emotional experiences in appropriate and adaptive ways.
Resources
- Sensory processing and integration – resources for parents
- The Whole Brain Child – Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
- Dr Dan Siegel’s Model of the Brain video
- The Kid’s Guide to Staying Awesome and In Control By Lauren Brukner
- The Explosive Child book for parents Dr. Ross Greene
- Connective Parenting Model (NVR) – Sarah Fisher
- Non-Violent resistance- Haim Omar
Relationships
Relationships refers to the ability to make and maintain positive and trusting connections with adults and peers, which enable children and young people to feel safe and secure.
Resources
- The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting Strategies and Solutions – Sarah Naish
- What every parent needs to know – Margot Sunderland (2006)
- The Group Overcoming Programme – a guided Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programme for parents of anxious children.
- Devon’s Early Help offer provides signposts support for social relationships.
Self-esteem and resilience
Self-esteem and resilience is how we value and see ourselves. It’s based on our opinions and beliefs about ourselves, and includes our sense of worth and self-confidence.
Resilience is the ability to cope with and bounce back from difficulties and challenge. Building resilience and self-esteem in children and young people is crucial for their overall mental well-being and helps them navigate life’s ups and downs more effectively.
Resources to share with parents
- A Guide to Managing Anxiety – from Devon’s SEMH Team
- Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) – guidance for parents
- Devon Family Hubs
- Young Minds – Self-Esteem
- Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage – an engaging child-led, parent carer supported therapeutic intervention that can be used on most smartphones or tablets, for 7–12-year-olds with mild to moderate needs to learn to self-manage fears, worries and anxiety.
- Overcoming Your Child’s Fears and Worries – A guide for parents using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques by Cathy Creswell and Lucy Willetts
- MindEd Hub
- Supporting a child with depression or anxiety
- Kooth is a free, safe, and anonymous online platform where young people aged 11-18 can access mental health support whenever they need it.
- Wellbeing | Young Devon
- Devon’s Early Help offer provides support around emotional and mental health and stress and anxiety.
- Devon’s School Nursing Service
- Family Minds – Parental Minds. A website offering a selection of further links, resources, agencies to explore to support children and young people and their families with mental health.
- Not Fine in School – support for families with children who are experiencing school attendance barriers.
- The Children’s Society – Wellbeing for young people
- Resources to help children with anxiety – Anxiety UK
Wellbeing and mental health
Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act, and affects how we cope, interact and form relationships with others, as well as our daily functioning.
Resources
- A Guide to Managing Anxiety – from Devon’s SEMH Team
- Devon Family Hubs
- Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage – an engaging child-led, parent carer supported therapeutic intervention that can be used on most smartphones or tablets, for 7–12-year-olds with mild to moderate needs to learn to self-manage fears, worries and anxiety.
- Overcoming Your Child’s Fears and Worries – A guide for parents using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques by Cathy Creswell and Lucy Willetts
- MindEd Hub
- Supporting a child with depression or anxiety
- Kooth is a free, safe, and anonymous online platform where young people aged 11-18 can access mental health support whenever they need it.
- Devon’s Early Help offer provides support around emotional and mental health and stress and anxiety.
- Devon’s School Nursing Service
- Family Minds – Parental Minds. A website offering a selection of further links, resources, agencies to explore to support children and young people and their families with mental health.
- Not Fine in School – support for families with children experiencing school attendance barriers.
- The Children’s Society – Wellbeing for young people
- Young people’s mental health | Royal College of Psychiatrists
Attention and engagement
This is the ability of a child or young person to focus on a task or activity for a sustained period of time without becoming easily distracted. It can also involve the level of interest, curiosity and motivation that a child or young person shows towards a learning activity.
Social understanding
Social understanding involves recognising and interpreting social signals and using these to communicate and interact with others appropriately in different situations. It includes the ability to feel and understand the emotions of others as well as understand different people’s perspectives and experiences.
Resources