The Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Team is a team of skilled and experienced specialist teachers who provide support for children and young people with a range of needs relating to SEMH within the context of a traded service.
This means that schools and settings can purchase support from the team via a Service Level Agreement on an annual subscription basis.
What do we do?
We offer a range of support to pupils, staff and parents/carers including direct work with pupils, individually or in small groups, training and consultation for staff, as well as advice and support for parents/carers.
At the centre of our work is the aim of improving children’s and young people’s access to the curriculum, their engagement with the social aspects of school, family and community life, and enhancing their emotional well- being, resilience and mental health.
How do we do it?
With parental permission, schools refer individual pupils to the SEMH team.
This is followed by an assessment process. The depth and detail of this is decided in collaboration with the school and will result in a clear identification of the child/young person’s needs and making recommendations including advice on strategies which schools can implement.
It may result in a programme of direct work undertaken with the school’s SEMH team teacher either on a 1:1 basis - where cognitive behavioural approaches, Drawing and Talking, anger management, coping with anxiety and self-esteem work may be delivered - or in small groups in which social interaction, relaxation or Mindfulness skills are taught and practised.
A wide range of training and consultation is available from the SEMH team including sessions on effective behaviour management, attachment difficulties and Mindfulness. Training packages can be delivered to whole staff groups or specific staff such as lunch time supervisors, Teaching and Learning Support Assistants, NQTs (Newly Qualified Teachers) or parents and carers, as required by the school.
Schools can make a referral or find further information on the services provided by SISS on the education extranet.