SEMH: Identifying Barriers and Understanding Needs

Despite appropriate adjustments the child or young person may continue to experience emotional or behavioural difficulties that are outside the normal range for their age. Although not all children and young people with SEMH needs will have SEND, severe and persistent social, emotional difficulties will often meet the SEND definition. For example, a child or young person who has had a bereavement may have some SEMH needs relating to this, however with quality short-term, ordinarily available school support their needs will be effectively met.

SEMH needs may present very differently in different children and young people. Those with a historical experience of trauma may show sensory sensitivities that can lead to children and young people avoiding certain environments and social situations or internalising their behaviours. Other children may react to a similar experience by externalising their feelings and behaviours.

Children with Neurodevelopmental needs such as Autism and ADHD or other learning needs may also present with SEMH needs, especially if their primary need is missed or unmet.

ADHD in the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is mentioned in the description of Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. It has traditionally sat with SEMH as it was most often associated with what the SEND Code of Practice calls “challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour.” However, today we know ADHD presents very differently in women and girls but also in many men and boys and we recognise it as a neurodevelopmental condition. As such the ADHD tile has been added into the Cognition and Learning section to recognise the impact of ADHD on a person’s attention/cognitive function and how they experience the world because of this. In order to provide what children and young people need, it is not always helpful to think of ADHD as a social, emotional, or mental health need, but rather as a need for adults supporting and teaching them to adapt teaching/ the environment/way of working to support the cognitive difference of people with ADHD. You may have looked for ADHD here as you need support with strategies for difficult and dangerous behaviours and if that is what you need, we hope you find the information in this SEMH section of value.

• Difficulties making and managing friendships.
• Difficulties forming relationships with adults.
• Problems with conflict resolution.
• Issues around bullying.
• Difficulties understanding social rules or boundaries.
• Problems reading social situations or nuanced social cues.

• Identifying and managing heightened emotions.
• ‘Excessive’ worrying which is not easy to resolve.
• ‘Emotionally-Based School Avoidance’
• Persistent sadness and withdrawal which does not resolve with encouragement.
• Disruptive, difficult or dangerous behaviour (may include frustration, anger, verbal and physical threats, aggression).
• Emotional issues relating to trauma or early childhood experiences.
• Low self-esteem or poor sense of self as a learner or person (including masking of feelings or needs).
• Bereavement and loss.
• Attachment or relationship difficulties.

• Withdrawn or depressed.
• Anxiety.
• Panic attacks.
• Obsessional compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Self-harm.
• Suicidal ideation.
• Substance misuse.
• Difficulties around eating, eating disorders, or restrictive eating.
• Situational mutism.
• Sexually risky behaviour.