SEMH
(Social, Emotional and Mental Health)
What is it?
Social and Emotional Functioning
Wellbeing
Ability to Regulate Self and Behaviour
Mental Health Difficulties
The Code of Practice defines it as;
Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attachment Disorder. (Department for Education and Health, 2015).
The toolkit aims to raise awareness amongst school and college staff of the range of validated tools that are available to help measure subjective mental wellbeing amongst the student population. This, in turn, will help school and college leaders make use of school and college level data to identify the mental wellbeing needs of students and determine how best to address these
What is the Prevalence?
2/3 of 7 - 14 year olds with severe behavioural difficulties have some SLCN
65% of young people in the youth offending service have some SLCN
50% of children in areas of social disadvantage start school with language delay - other studies have also indicated that up to 75% of year 9 pupils having significant language difficulties
At least 40% of children SEMH may have undiagnosed communication problems.
WHY is there a link between SEMH and SLCN?
The statistics are clear that there is a strong relationship between SLCN snd SEMH but why? Language is key to developing Emotional Literacy. If we struggle with communication then we don't interact effectively with others, we have little self awareness, low self control and an inability to problem solve.
Some young people's difficulties only become apparent as they get older!
What can we do?
We need to RECOGNISE behaviour as communication and work out what the underlying difficulties are. We need to PREVENT the impact these difficulties have on relationships and learning. We need to CHALLENGE and CHANGE systems that support these inequalities.
How?
IDENTIFY
Use ABC charts or Functional Behavioural Analysis to work out patterns and potential causes
Use commercially available tools e.g. Boxhall Profile boxallprofile.org, SDQ, Emotional Literacy, Self-Image Profiles (SIP), Behaviour and Vulnerabilities Profile
Use SLCN screening tools and checklists
PREVENT
Have a whole school approach (to identify and intervene earlier, to promote pupil and staff wellbeing)
Develop staff training - ELKLAN
Develop use of the Incredible 5 Point Scale
Develop targeted programmes - Social Skills (Skillstreaming, Takabout, Socially Speaking)
Emotional Literacy, Vocabulary (Word Aware, VEP), Mindfulness 11-18, Mindfulness 7-11
Introduce other therapies (Art, Music, Animal etc)
Engage the whole community (promote pupil voice, involve families carers etc)
These emotion cards and ideas for games can be used to help young people to learn to recognise and regulate their own feelings and emotions. They can also help them learn to recognise and empathise with others struggling with emotions.
Emotions Games_Activities.pdfemotions flashcards - no words.pdfemotions flashcards - with words.pdfFurther Reading
This website has been designed by Behaviour Support Teacher Dan Hallsworth to help education staff to support students with social, emotional and mental health concerns.