All About SEMH: A Practical Guide For Secondary Teachers

All About SEMH is an accessible and informative guide for secondary school teachers, designed to increase their understanding of social, emotional and mental health needs, and to enhance their toolkit with practical, evidence-informed strategies to support learners in their care.

The book unpicks key terminology and debunks myths and misconceptions, enabling teachers to more easily understand some of the challenges for learners with SEMH needs. It then explores a range of key areas including anxiety, depression, bereavement, obsessive-compulsive disorder and self-harm, and focuses on practical strategies and adaptations that can be made in every classroom. All About SEMH includes:

• A comprehensive introduction to social, emotional and mental health needs and the surrounding terms and policies
• Practical strategies tailored to different conditions to help provide targeted support to secondary school learners
• Case studies and worked examples to illustrate points in the book, supporting behaviour recognition and developing reader understanding
• The difference between children’s behaviour at home and at school are examined, and the voices of parents of children with SEMH are woven throughout
• Guidance on safeguarding and when to ask for additional support regarding concerns such as drug abuse or child exploitation
• Easy to dip in and out of chapters with signposting to further research, resources and support

This accessible guide is a valuable resource to empower secondary educators, increasing their knowledge and understanding of SEMH, and providing a range of practical strategies to support every learner in their class. It will be essential reading for all secondary school educators, SENCOs and parents who are supporting children with SEMH needs.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

PART 1

1. The purpose of this book and how you might use it
2. What is the international and local policy picture?
3. What does it mean to have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs?
4. Discussing and finding out about research on SEMH
5. Secondary school

PART 2

6. Anxiety

7. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

8. Bereavement, grief and loss

9. Bi-polar disorder

10. Criminal Child Exploitation (CCE)

11. Criminal sexual exploitation (CSE)

12. Depression

13. Drug use and abuse

14. Eating disorders

15. Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB)

16. Emerging personality disorder

17. Self-harm

18. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

19. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

20. Psychosis

21. Further resources

Bibliography

Index