All schools have a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). Some schools also have a specific SEMH co-ordinator (with varying post titles depending upon the school, e.g. behaviour co-ordinator). Any concerns about your child’s progress should be discussed with your child’s teacher, form tutor, pastoral lead and/or the school’s SENCO / SEMH co-ordinator.
Children and young people who have been identified by their school as experiencing social, emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties will be offered intervention by the school.
If, following additional support, the issues persist it may be agreed the child has special educational needs requiring additional provision. The pupil would then be placed on the school’s SEN register at SEN Support; parents/carers would be informed and be part of this decision-making
The SEN Code of Practice (2014) requires all schools to have adopted a ‘graduated approach’ in supporting pupils with special educational needs. This approach includes a cycle of support which will have clear outcomes which are reviewed regularly.
All schools have a website which details their provision for pupils with SEND this is called their ‘school offer’ or ‘school information’.
If a child continues to struggle to make progress a school may make a referral to a specialist service. A specialist service could be a health service, such as:
- CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service - known in Solihull as Solar)
- a speech and language therapist
- a counselling service
Solihull schools have access to the Local Authority’s Specialist Inclusion Support Service (SISS) and for concerns about SEMH a referral would be made to the Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH) Team (part of Solihull’s Specialist Inclusion Support Service). Parental consent is required for school to make a referral.