Social, Emotional and Mental Health Provision

Children and young people may experience a wide range of social, emotional and mental health difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways, and recent English government figures suggest that around 150,000 children in mainstream and special schools are suffering from Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties.

The SEN code of practice describes SEMH as a learning difficulty where students demonstrate features of emotional and behavioural difficulties such as:

• withdrawn or isolated
• disruptive and disturbing
• hyperactive and lack concentration
• immature in relation to social skills
• exhibiting challenging behaviour arising from other complex special needs

Students who have difficulties in this area will have abilities that overlap with the full range of learning potential but their difficulties can often be a barrier to learning.  This can, in turn, make them more frustrated and unable to access opportunities.

Students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties may struggle to cope with school routines and making and sustaining relationships. 

At St Anselm’s the support we can provide includes focussed TA support and a variety of targeted provision including:

• Kar2ouche Social Stories
• Emotional Literacy Scheme
• Active Listening Programme
• ‘Talkabout’ Social Communication Package
• Boxall Profiling
• Nurture Programme
• School Counselling Service
• School Psychotherapy Service
• Art Therapy

Our staff regularly undergoes training to keep their skill-set fresh, and we seek advice from the Educational Psychology Service where necessary to ensure our provision is having the desired impact.