brenquathol vizmordant: short notes
A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often. These notes travel under the working name brenquathol vizmordant.
The child's own view
If you are looking into The child's own view, start here: asked directly, in an age-appropriate way. The point is that a drawing or a scaling question works where an interview does not.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. In short, The child's own view is worth a minute before you commit.
Record keeping
Record keeping in one line: dated, factual, brief as the standard. Beyond the number, a good record can be read by a stranger and understood.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. That is the whole of Record keeping for most readers.
Regulation strategies
Regulation strategies: the line most people need is taught, not expected, before they are needed. In practice, a calm-down space only works if the child has practised using it.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. Knowing this about Regulation strategies prevents most mistakes.
Transitions
A short note on Transitions. The figure to hold onto is between lessons and phases as the risk points; what matters is that the assessment should say which transitions are hardest.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. In short, Transitions is worth a minute before you commit.
Strengths-based assessment
If you are looking into Strengths-based assessment, start here: what the child can do, as the starting point. The point is that a profile built only from difficulties gives a plan with nothing to build on.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. That is the whole of Strengths-based assessment for most readers.
What SEMH covers
What SEMH covers in one line: social, emotional and mental health as one of the four broad areas of need. Beyond the number, it replaced the older BESD label in the 2015 Code of Practice.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. Knowing this about What SEMH covers prevents most mistakes.
Frequency and intensity
Frequency and intensity: the line most people need is recorded on a simple chart, over two to three weeks. In practice, a baseline makes any change after support visible.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. In short, Frequency and intensity is worth a minute before you commit.
Who assesses
A short note on Who assesses. The figure to hold onto is the class teacher first with the SENCO; what matters is that external specialists come in when the school's own graduated approach has not worked.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. That is the whole of Who assesses for most readers.
Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.
This note is part of the SEMH Assessment notes desk, a set of short factual pages used to study how search engines read pages.