SEMH Service

The Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) service is available to schools in Newcastle. We are a team of professionals supporting students and teachers manage SEMH needs. Our aim is to:

support whole school improvement in provision for SEMH through intentional promotion of social and emotional competence
provide support and expertise around individual children through a comprehensive and systematic Assess, Plan, Do, Review process
improve coping and resilience – we all have SEMH needs
reduce need and therefore pressure on specialist SEND Services
support schools to successfully prepare children for the next stage in their education

Helpful resources and further information

You can find useful SEMH resources and full details of this service by visiting our Services to Schools page.

SEMH Service - Service to Schools Page

Schools interested in accessing the SEMH service can email sarah.woodburn@newcastle.gov.uk.

Outcomes for children

We want our SEMH service to help children to:

describe feeling connected to themselves, to others and to the natural world.
experience success at school, know how to make age/stage appropriate decisions and have good relationships. (Competent, Autonomous, Related)
understand their strengths and needs, use a range of strategies to meet their needs and ask for help
feel confident they can change by taking small steps and can adapt to small and big changes successfully.
have and use the vocabulary they need to express their thoughts, ideas and feelings in a range of ways.
interact confidently, appropriately and flexibly with different people and in different situations.

Primary School Support from the SEMH service

The SEMH service offer the following:

Comprehensive support to implement Assess, Plan, Do Review cycle for individuals
Point of contact and regular check ins
Bespoke work to support individuals
Signposting
Staff training and support
Consultations and observations
SEMH project work
Solution oriented practice
Transition support
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) support

Secondary School Support from the SEMH service

The SEMH service offer the following:

Point of contact and regular check ins
Staff training and support
SEMH project work
Solution oriented consultation
Comprehensive support for staff to implement Assess, Plan, Do Review cycle for individuals
Consultations and observations
Bespoke work to support individuals where the above has been exhausted
Signposting
Transition support
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) support

The Noticing Nature Project

The SEMH Noticing Nature project is one of the projects we offer. It is designed to support children experiencing tension, difficulty engaging in learning or Emotional Based School Non-Attendance.

The aims of the project are:

to develop children’s social and emotional wellbeing by spending time outdoors and in nature
to promote children’s connections with themselves, others and the natural world
to allow the children to interact confidently, appropriately and flexibly in different situations
to experience success and have good relationships
to support children to understand their strengths and needs, use a range of strategies to meet their needs and ask for help

For activity ideas and further information about this project, useful for schools and parents, check out our Noticing Nature Padlet and SEMH service - Services to Schools page.

Newcastle City Council SEND Support Services

Our SEND Local Offer's new home

Helpful resources and further information

Primary School Support from the SEMH service Primary School Support from the SEMH service

Secondary School Support from the SEMH service Secondary School Support from the SEMH service

Primary School Support from the SEMH service

Secondary School Support from the SEMH service