Parents / Carers

Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs are a type of special educational needs in which children/young people have severe difficulties in managing their emotions and behaviour. They often show inappropriate responses and feelings to situations.

This means that they have trouble in building and maintaining relationships with peers and adults; they can also struggle to engage with learning and to cope in classroom without additional strategies and interventions. Children with SEMH will often feel anxious, scared and misunderstood. As a whole, these behaviours are often caused by underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

Typical characteristics of children with SEMH can include:-

• Disruptive, antisocial and uncooperative behaviour - including stealing, truancy, vandalism, arson and drug abuse
• Frustration, anger and verbal and physical threats / aggression
• Withdrawn and depressed attitudes
• Anxiety and self-harm
• Mood changes (sadness, withdrawal, emotional outbursts)
• Intense feelings (worry/fear/anger)
• Drastic changes in behaviour or personality
• Difficulty concentrating
• Unexplained weight loss (loss of appetite, vomiting)
• Fighting and wanting to hurt others

An Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) is a partnership document between the young person, the family, the school and the local authority which details additional specialist support that will be provided to meet the needs of the young person.

A young person is entitled to an EHCP if they:

• have a severe or complex long-term need that affects everyday life
• require help and resources that are not normally available
• need intensive help and support from more than one agency
• show evidence that they are making limited or no progress, despite high levels of support
• show evidence of a graduated response to interventions, support and resources already in place

If your child requires specialist support their needs will be considered during an assessment. The assessment considers the support your child requires to ensure they do well at school, stay healthy and safe, enjoy themselves with friends and develop independent skills. This should help lead to long-term opportunities, including higher education and employment. These are called outcomes and will be written into your child’s EHCP.

CAn EHCP is written in partnership with you and your child. It describes the additional specialist support your child requires in order to meet their outcomes. The EHCP will assess and consider your child's education, health and care needs. Before the EHCP is written, professionals will involve you in assessing your child's needs.

EHCP has replaced the Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA). There will be more emphasis on the views of children, young people and their parents in decision making. You will be asked to complete the all about me section (PDF) with your child as part of the assessment process. This helps us to get to know your child. Professionals will be expected to work with families about the things that are important to them in order to help them achieve their aspirations and outcomes. EHCP will be reviewed annually.

See how young people have contributed to their EHCP by visiting My EHCP.

Our EHCP pathway (PDF) explains the assessment process that you will go through, which may result in an EHCP for your child. There is also a guide for parents and carers to the SEND reforms, which describes how the new system works.