Every school, health setting, social worker and community support worker will:

• Adapt and adjust behavioural expectations and responses to meet the child/young person’s SEND and contextual safeguarding in mind.
• Provide positive role modelling and implementation of the Pledge to support preparing for adulthood at the earliest opportunity.
• Engage parents/carers in regular dialogue and support all partners’ work.
• Welcome all children and young people into their settings and services.
• Provide emotional check-in before the formal start of the day and repeat this when needed.
• Recognise that children and young people with SEMH may find all transition points challenging and will need support to regulate (moving between classes, beginning and end of the day, change of teacher).
• Identify the push and pull factors – those factors that may lead to or discourage presenting behaviours. These may include previous interactions, anxiety, peer responses, environmental and other factors.
• Support children to plan with their families and professionals how best to support their needs.
• Ensure all staff are aware of the pupil, their needs and appropriate strategies and responses.
• Clearly identify what may have contributed to the presenting behaviour, showing curiosity and wondering aloud.
• Review and monitor the curriculum offered in terms of quality of teaching and appropriateness.
• Leaders should ensure that all staff are given time to read and plan for the identified needs of children and young people within their setting.
• Where appropriate children and young people to emotionally check in with a trusted adult before the formal start of the day and understand how to do that when needed. An example of an emotional check-in could be going through their visual timetable, preparing them for any changes in the day,
• Staff in schools will need to recognise that children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) may find transition points challenging and will need support to regulate (moving between classes, beginning and end of the day, change of teacher)
• Identify the push and pull factors (to include in a possible support plan). (Those factors that may lead to or discourage presenting behaviours) These may include previous interactions, anxiety, peer responses, environmental and other factors.
• Every child with identified SEMH needs should have a ‘live’ child centred one-page profile/passport document to support all staff in understanding their need. With senior staff/SENCO/DSL/all teaching and learning staff having a working knowledge of the pupil, their needs and appropriate strategies and responses in their one-page profile/passport.
• Support by appropriate adults to implement the strategies in their plan.
• All adults in the setting will work with the child/young person to identify and improve provision as part of proactive rather than reactive intervention.
• Short term adaptations may need to be made to accommodate emerging needs e.g. check ins/out throughout the day, structured support at lunch time and social time, reflection time, calming start of day.
• Effectively promoting peer support systems which is safe and effective for all involved. e.g. peer mentors, playground friends etc.
• Reflection and restorative repair to be offered to allow adults and the child or young person to learn from the behaviours.
• Use of restorative language. Avoidance of shaming behaviours and language.
• Supportive recognition and monitoring of attendance through the school attendance support team.

View and/or download the Social, Emotional & Mental Health Needs Toolkit