Notes by topic
A few short notes on social, emotional and mental health assessment in schools, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.
Parent and carer views
If you are looking into Parent and carer views, start here: gathered early, and written down. The point is that home and school seeing the same pattern is itself a finding.
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 Parent and carer views prevents most mistakes.
The graduated approach
The graduated approach in one line: assess, plan, do, review as a cycle. Beyond the number, each cycle is usually a term long and the review decides whether to change the plan.
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 graduated approach is worth a minute before you commit.
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.
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 Regulation strategies for most readers.
Language
A short note on Language. The figure to hold onto is a speech and language check for younger pupils; what matters is that a child who cannot say what is wrong shows it instead.
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 Language prevents most mistakes.
Confidentiality
If you are looking into Confidentiality, start here: shared on a need-to-know basis, within the staff team. The point is that written records follow the school's data policy.
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, Confidentiality is worth a minute before you commit.
Adverse experiences
Adverse experiences in one line: noted, not diagnosed by the school. Beyond the number, the school's job is to adjust the environment, not to treat.
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 Adverse experiences for most readers.
Triggers and functions
Triggers and functions: the line most people need is what happens before and after, a behaviour. In practice, the function (escape, attention, sensory, tangible) points to the support.
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 Triggers and functions prevents most mistakes.
What SEMH covers
A short note on What SEMH covers. The figure to hold onto is social, emotional and mental health as one of the four broad areas of need; what matters is that it replaced the older BESD label in the 2015 Code of Practice.
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, What SEMH covers 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.