Types of SEND: understanding social, emotional and mental health needs
No two students are the same. Which is why understanding their needs and the support they need to succeed is crucial. In this article, we take a look into social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, and what schools need to do to both identify and support students with SEMH needs.
What are SEND social, emotional and mental health needs?
Social, emotional and mental health needs refer to difficulties that a child may experience in managing their emotions, mental health and social interactions in a way that impacts their ability to learn. They may communicate through behaviours in response to unmet SEMH needs.
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Social needs – struggling to form and maintain relationships, understand social cues or understanding and navigating peer dynamics
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Emotional needs – difficulty regulating emotions, e.g. managing frustrations, anxiety or sadness
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Mental health needs – anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns that impact a child’s ability to learn
This can manifest in various ways, including:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships
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Appearing socially unskilled and unable to interact at an age-appropriate level
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Requires adult affirmation to attempt things that should be in their ability
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Lack of motivation beyond the norm
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Needing to be in control of a situation
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Quiet and withdrawn
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Hyper-vigilance
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Anger
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Lashing out
It's important to understand that many of the behaviours that can be indicative of SEMH needs can and will present in a wide range of students at one time or another. However, when they happen regularly, persist or when patterns emerge, it may be necessary to consider the SEMH needs of the student to facilitate ongoing learning.
Identifying social, emotional and mental health needs
It’s important that any of the above and any other concerning behaviours are understood – what is causing the student to act this way? Which need is not being met?
If you suspect that a child may have SEMH needs, an assessment should be undertaken to pinpoint specific areas of concern and investigate the root of the problem. This will then allow the school to provide targeted support.
Here’s what is recommended to gather more information and :
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Discussions with key adults at home and school
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Asking the student for their views
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Attendance and behaviour data
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Information from external professionals, if relevant
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Refer to the when exploring behaviour responses
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Assess the classroom environment
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Make observations from the classroom setting
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Assess the impact of behaviours on the child’s learning and how it impacts others
How to support SEND students with social, emotional and mental health needs
The findings of an assessment should be collated and analysed by a SENCO to consider the student’s social, emotional and mental health needs. This can then inform the creation of an individual learning plan which maps and manages individual SEND needs.
Learning plans outline the specific needs of the student, as well as targets, strategies and the support required to meet the student’s needs. It’s important to regularly monitor, review (at least three times per year formally) and amend learning plans as required to ensure that the student has the support needed to succeed.
Additionally, it’s also important that the learning plan is easily accessible to all relevant school staff, whilst remaining confidential.
Give every student the support they need
It's vital that teaching staff understand various types of SEND and the behaviours that children with SEND may exhibit, potential causes of these needs, and how schools can implement support.
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