spoushamule glindaimith: short notes
A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality in one line: shared on a need-to-know basis within the staff team. Beyond the number, written records follow the school's data policy.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. Knowing this about Confidentiality prevents most mistakes.
Adverse experiences
Adverse experiences: the line most people need is noted, not diagnosed, by the school. In practice, the school's job is to adjust the environment, not to treat.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. In short, Adverse experiences is worth a minute before you commit.
Triggers and functions
A short note on Triggers and functions. The figure to hold onto is what happens before and after a behaviour; what matters is that the function (escape, attention, sensory, tangible) points to the support.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. That is the whole of Triggers and functions for most readers.
What SEMH covers
If you are looking into What SEMH covers, start here: social, emotional and mental health, as one of the four broad areas of need. The point is that 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.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. Knowing this about What SEMH covers prevents most mistakes.
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.
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, Record keeping is worth a minute before you commit.
Reasonable adjustments
Reasonable adjustments: the line most people need is written into the plan, and shared with every teacher. In practice, a plan only the SENCO knows about is not a plan.
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 Reasonable adjustments for most readers.
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.
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 Who assesses prevents most mistakes.
Whole-school factors
If you are looking into Whole-school factors, start here: policies and routines, reviewed alongside. The point is that a child's need sometimes describes the setting more than the child.
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, Whole-school factors is worth a minute before you commit.
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.
See also: another short note.