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5. Targeted Approaches

5b. Targeted support within schools

Targeted support guide

The Targeted Support Toolkit is designed to help education staff review and develop targeted approaches that support pupils’ social, emotional and mental wellbeing. It can be used to explore what targeted support might be needed in your setting and to identify approaches that are likely to be a good fit.

The toolkit includes two parts:

  • Guide - outlines a structured process for reviewing existing provision, understanding pupils’ needs and introducing targeted support. It covers practical steps including how to identify priorities, plan delivery and monitor impact over time.
  • Tool - allows staff to explore different types of targeted support. Options can be filtered by delivery method, education phase, intended outcomes and other factors. This can be a useful way to narrow down choices and find support that is appropriate to your setting.

The guide is designed to be used first. It encourages staff to reflect on what is already in place and consider what further support might be helpful. This might involve identifying a gap in provision, responding to a specific pattern of need or adapting existing support for a particular group of pupils.

Once priorities have been identified, the tool can be used to look at potential approaches in more detail. Some of the support options included may be suitable for staff to deliver with appropriate training; others may require input from external providers. Both resources will give staff greater confidence in choosing the most effective support for pupils in their setting.  

Useful links:

Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) Guidebook

The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) Guidebook is a free, filterable resource with information on over 130 evaluated programmes that have shown evidence of improving outcomes for children and young people. While many are targeted or specialist in nature, it also includes a number of universal approaches relevant to whole-school planning.

You can filter by outcomes such as behaviour to find approaches that align with your priorities, from preventative, whole-school strategies to more targeted support.

For each intervention, the Guidebook outlines:

  • what the intervention does and who it is designed for
  • how effective it has been found to be (its impact)
  • how confident you can be in the impact (evidence rating)
  • indicative costs.

The Guidebook can help schools identify approaches that might address their priorities, but it is not an endorsement or guarantee of effectiveness. Schools can use the Guidebook to review potential interventions against their own context, considering factors such as the needs of their pupils, existing provision, available resources and staff capacity.

The implementation information provided can help school leaders plan how an approach might fit within their current behaviour and wellbeing strategies, and whether any training or partnership with external providers would be needed.

Useful links:

  •  Foundations: Guidebook A toolkit of over 130 evidence-based interventions, rated for their impact on children and families’ outcomes.