Understanding SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs)

What is SEMH?

This month, our topic is SEMH (Social, Emotional, & Mental Health Needs). Mental Health is such a broad spectrum that affects us all at different points in our lives, so we can only imagine how it must feel to a child! 

Children with SEMH can be very challenging and struggle to build and maintain important and trusting relationships. They may also find it very difficult to engage positively during their classroom experience. Often, large classrooms can be overwhelming for a child with SEMH and can cause them to be disruptive out of a fear response to their environment. When recognising SEMH, many factors contribute to the child’s needs, and it’s important to recognise these and be sensitive to each child individually. 

Identifying a child with SEMH

It may sometimes be hard to identify a child with SEMH, but common behaviours may include:

• High levels of anxiety
• Disruptive and anti-social behaviour
• Regular displays of aggression and anger
• Signs of depression and disconnection
• Constant rejection of support and praise
• Inappropriate and offensive language
• Low self-esteem

Why a child may have SEMH:

• Experiencing a traumatic life event
• Attachment difficulties
• Anxiety
• Mental Illness
• Being the subject of/or witnessing forms of abuse
• Certain neurodevelopment conditions could lead to children struggling with regulation, concentration, communication, and forming relationships

Building an initial relationship and forming trust

One of the first hurdles to overcome whilst supporting a child with SEMH is building trust. Trust is something many children with SEMH may struggle with, and learning from experience, it can take a while for a child to trust you, and it’s not a quick fix. The child needs to know they can rely on you, and this can take time. One of the main reasons why children may reject you at first is to test you to see if you will remain supporting them. They may have experienced inconsistent relationships leading them to distrust adults, or they may push you away, fearing they will be rejected. With these initial steps and patience, trust can be formed, and you will be the platform for helping the child progress. 

Step-by-step guide to building trust:

• Be consistent every day - A consistent demeanour every day can help them learn to trust you quicker if they know you’ll always be calm and collected.
• Emotional Safety - Always accept and reflect on a child’s feelings. You must acknowledge a child’s feelings, so they feel listened to
• Don’t be over-enthusiastic or too complimentary - Some students with SEMH find excitement and praise completely overwhelming. This isn’t to say that you should be passive, but just be wary of being too enthusiastic. It’s much better to be calm, and relaxed and give praise in short statements so as not to overwhelm the child.
• Be reliable - Try to be as reliable as possible, so the child knows you’re not going to leave them. If you’re unwell or absent, always give the child a valid reason as to why you weren’t there.
• Use clear and calm language - Try to keep communication clear, calm, and engaging
• Be patient with the process - Please remember that it will take time for you to build a relationship with the child. There will be difficulties until the trust is formed.
• Make a note of triggers - Try to recognise and take note of things that upset and distress the child. They can be certain sounds, smells, or environments of use of language that upset the child.
• Resilience!- Resilience is the key to tackling the relationship boundary! It will be tough at times, but you will come out the other side.

Dealing with SEMH in the classroom and helping children make small steps

Children with SEMH can be very challenging and can struggle to build and maintain important, trusting relationships, whilst also finding it difficult to engage positively during their classroom experience. There are several barriers that children with SEMH face whilst trying to cope with their education experience, and your role as the child's support staff is to try and help them overcome and work through some hurdles they may face. These hurdles may include:

• Difficulty focusing
• Poor communication skills
• Unable to cope with change
• Lack of confidence and low self-esteem
• Traumatic experiences
• Attachment difficulties
• Lack of confidence

Several strategies can help with the above:

1. Create a bespoke and individualised timetable
   Creating a personal timetable can allow the child to access the learning with the opportunity to do activities tailored to their interests
2. Establish a safe environment
   If the child cannot cope inside the classroom, find a safe space to focus on work, to begin with
3. Set a goal to eventually engage in classroom learning
   Set realistic targets that work towards the child being able to access some classroom learning as an end goal
4. Track the student's progress
   Create a visual timeline of mini goals that the child has accomplished so they can be proud of their progress
5. Use emotional regulation as part of their timetable
   Try and incorporate a time for relaxing activities in the child's timetable to help ground them. These can include breathing exercises, physical activity, and spending time in nature

Ongoing steps and tips to help you on your SEMH journey

I hope this guide is useful in helping you understand and best support a child with SEMH. It will be a turbulent journey with obstacles and hurdles along the way, but it will also be an incredibly rewarding journey that will build your confidence and understanding of mental health needs. 

We understand that supporting children with SEND has its challenges, and can, at times, take a toll on your wellbeing. If you are struggling in a particular placement and need some support and advice, we are always here to help. You can contact Karla Tondel at Five Education and arrange weekly check-ins with advice, support, and guidance to help you with your work and provide you with a safe space to talk. Please use the phone number: 07878983657 or Email address: karla@fiveeducation.co.uk to schedule a chat.