Social, Emotional and Mental Health

 
 

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs are a type of special educational need where a child communicates through behaviour in response to unmet social, emotional or mental health needs such as:

  • Children who find it challenging to manage their feelings, emotions and behaviours

  • Children who find everyday change challenging and frightening

  • Children who find it hard to build relationships with adults and other children

  • Children who can find it hard to join in with the activities and routine with the rest of the group or class

Typically seen behaviours include:

  • Violent outbursts to adults and other key children

  • Distress because the parent/key person is not with them

  • Running off

  • Refusal to join or follow instructions

  • Needing to be in control and controlling things around them

  • Frozen behaviours when they appear to shut down

  • Hiding

  • Withdrawing from adults

  • Self-harm

  • Easily startled by loud noise, sudden movement

  • Prolonged temper tantrums

  • Sleeping difficulties

Children with SEMH needs often have difficulties in managing their emotions or their behaviour. They can show inappropriate responses to their emotions. They can feel scared, anxious and misunderstood.

It is estimated that around 150,000 children in mainstream and special schools are experiencing SEMH challenges.

Other children and young people with a SEMH difficulty may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Some tips for supporting children who have SEMH needs are:

  • Try to slowly build a relationship of trust

  • Provide clear and fair boundaries and stick to them

  • Help the child to identify their own challenges and give them strategies to develop self-responsibility

  • Make every day a fresh start

  • Be consistent and say what you mean

There are many strategies that we can use in the classroom to support a child with SEMH difficulty. We also offer additional small group work to develop social skills and confidence in our children. It may be appropriate that we suggest further support from other agencies such as the Educational Psychology Team or CAMHS.

We have an open-door policy and invite you to come and share any worries you may have about your child. Working together will ensure that we can support your child to be successful in school.

Other Useful Websites

Dudley CAMHS
Dudley CAMHS is a specialist mental health service commissioned to provide interventions to those children, young people and their families who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

The SEMH Toolkit
This guide provides techniques to support the mental well-being of children that experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties.


Witherslack Group
The Witherslack group supports parents and carers to navigate the journey of SEN with resources and a supportive team who are always on hand to help you and your family.