SEMH and Inclusion Advisory Service

Everyone who works in education and/or with children and young people is very aware of the increasing need for awareness, support and interventions relating to pupils’ social, emotion and mental health (SEMH).

The SEMH and Inclusion service is education-based and professional-facing, aiming to support and coach leaders and practitioners in schools to find solutions to the challenges we face supporting diverse individual needs related to SEMH and inclusion.

Our advisors offer advice to leaders, coaching for education professionals, CPD (whole school and focussed groups), work to create internal “Professional Learning Networks” and resources that collaborate with staff to find solutions that will work in school, for staff, pupils, leaders and stakeholders.

The service works closely with engaged schools individually to provide advice, guidance, support and CPD that the staff want and need to feel confident when working with pupils. This can include input on school policy, systems and processes in order to create SEMH informed and accepting environments that will proactively increase the probability of engagement and success for all pupils.

Service aims:

  • To increase the capacity of school leaders in planning and implementing strategies and practice relating to SEMH & Inclusion through building professional relationships and offering advice.
  • To create innovative and self-improving mechanisms within schools for long-term development and to sustainable improvement.
  • To improve support for school employees in their teaching and support of children presenting with responses which challenge which are a result of the challenges and barriers they face when engaging with education.
  • To improve the experiences of pupils in Derby City who require reasonable adjustments and interventions relating to SEMH and Inclusion so that there is an increase in and/or maintenance of their engagement with learning and attendance at school.
  • To create a baseline with available quantitative and qualitative data in order to focus strategy, target schools/areas and develop the necessary activities and resources to meet school needs and develop the Service’s offer.

Who is this service for?  

The SEMH and Inclusion Service has worked and is working with:

  • Primary Schools
  • Secondary Schools
  • Specialist Schools
  • Academy Trusts
  • Derby City LA Workforce Development Programme
  • Derby City SENDCO Network
  • Holiday Activities and Food Club (HAF)
  • Sports Leaders
  • Derby University CivicLAB

Statistics: 

  • Number of schools engaged from June 2023 to May 2025: 59
  • Interactions: 1522
  • Leadership engagements: 229
  • Coaching sessions (introduced Sep 2024): 59
  • CPD sessions: 46
  • Attendance at CPD: 1028

Feedback from School Leaders: 

“Staff feedback to me was that they really enjoyed the session and so did I, so thank you!” – Behaviour Lead at Secondary School, “Thank you SO much for the session yesterday. You really helped me out with sharing this important info with most of our teacher team here as I think they’re sick of listening to me!” – Deputy Head at Infant and Nursery School, “Thank you SO much – you are amazing.” – Head at Infant School, “Thank you so much for today, it was so useful and the heads have taken a lot away from it.” – Head at Primary School.“Staff feedback to me was that they really enjoyed the session and so did I, so thank you!” – Behaviour Lead at Secondary School, “Thank you SO much for the session yesterday. You really helped me out with sharing this important info with most of our teacher team here as I think they’re sick of listening to me!” – Deputy Head at Infant and Nursery School, “Thank you SO much – you are amazing.” – Head at Infant School, “Thank you so much for today, it was so useful and the heads have taken a lot away from it.” – Head at Primary School.

Feedback from CPD Attendees: 

CPD Attendees: “Fantastic training, well delivered and extremely beneficial in my current role. Thank you”, “Thank you for sharing your research, ideas and knowledge.”, “Very engaging presentation! Well delivered and great to have some real life examples (teacher vs student anger).”, “Very engaging session, well presented and loved passion – Empowering.”CPD Attendees: “Fantastic training, well delivered and extremely beneficial in my current role. Thank you”, “Thank you for sharing your research, ideas and knowledge.”, “Very engaging presentation! Well delivered and great to have some real life examples (teacher vs student anger).”, “Very engaging session, well presented and loved passion – Empowering.”

To find out more information and to book in to speak to an advisor, please contact: [email protected]