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2. Understanding Behaviour

2d. Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs

Children and young people can face a wide range of social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, oftens shaped by a range of interconnecting factors. These might include experiences at home and in school, relationships with peers and adults, unmet learning needs or wider social and economic pressures. These influences can affect how pupils feel about themselves, how they relate to others and how they cope with the demands of school life. Behaviour is often one of the main ways that children and young people express these needs.

SEMH needs can range from short-term difficulties linked to a specific challenge, such as moving school or changes at home, through to longer-term needs connected to trauma, adversity or unmet learning needs. For some, this may look like becoming quiet, withdrawn or losing interest in activities they previously enjoyed - patterns that can sometimes be missed in busy classrooms. Others may show their distress through behaviour that feels disruptive in the classroom or that may come across as challenging or unsafe. In both cases, these behaviours are not deliberate; they are ways children and young people communicate that something is difficult for them.

‘There is demand on schools to fill the gaps in provision for pupil mental health and wellbeing. Add to this the dwindling school budgets and universal service cuts, coupled with the demand to show positive outcomes in pupil attainment – there is no wonder that schools feel overwhelmed by the growing need for pupil SEMH support in education.'5

Although the pressure on schools is very real, leaders and staff are not expected to respond alone. What can make a difference is stepping back to consider the wider picture around a child or young person’s behaviour and using this understanding to shape proportionate and joined-up support.

As part of this, it is important to explore cultural considerations. Intersectionality and the diverse experiences pupils bring can shape how they feel in school and how their behaviour is understood. Recognising and addressing this diversity is central to creating inclusive schools where children and young people feel seen and heard. When pupils do not feel acknowledged in this way, it can affect their sense of belonging and how their behaviour is expressed.

The following prompts can support staff to reflect on the wider picture:

  • Developmental history – has the child or young person had previous difficulties with communication, learning or regulation that might shape current behaviour?
  • Context of change – what else was happening around the time the behaviour shifted (family changes, new school transition, peer group changes, safeguarding issues)?
  • Parents and carers – what insights can they share about the child or young person’s experiences outside school and how can school keep communication open and collaborative?
  • Pupil voice – how does the child or young person describe their experience? Are there aspects of their identity and background that may shape how they feel in school and how they are understood by others?
  • Previous strategies – what has been tried before, at home or in school? What helped, even a little, and what made things harder?
  • Patterns over time – is the behaviour consistent or does it happen at particular times of day, in certain lessons or with particular staff?
  • Wider support – which colleagues or external professionals (for example SENCOs, pastoral staff or health services) may need to be involved and how can their input be joined up?

Useful links:

Quality-assured resources, information and advice to help schools and colleges support mental health and wellbeing in their settings.

 5. Anna Freud Centre, The importance of early intervention for Social Emotional Mental Health: Why it improves pupil outcomes. Available at: https://www.annafreud.org/news/the-importance-of-early-intervention-for-social-emotional-mental-health-why-it-improves-pupil-outcomes/