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Pupils with SEND: supporting mental health

Learn about whole-school strategies and personalised interventions to support the mental health of pupils with SEND. Find out how to get pupils talking, how to monitor wellbeing and get links to resources from charities and other organisations.

Last reviewed on 9 December 2024See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 33686
Contents
  1. Have a robust mental health policy
  2. Create an inclusive school culture
  3. Make the discussion accessible 
  4. Get pupils used to talking about mental health
  5. Monitor pupils’ mental health and wellbeing
  6. Prevent mental health from becoming a barrier to attendance
  7. Run staff training
  8. Offer targeted support

Please note: in this article we refer to a number of resources for supporting pupil mental health, including from commercial providers. Their inclusion is for your information, and is not a recommendation from The Key.

Have a robust mental health policy

There's no statutory requirement for schools to have a pupil mental health policy, but having one will help you provide consistent support to all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Your policy could lay out:

  • Your whole-school approach to promoting mental wellbeing (see more about this below) 
  • Warning signs to look out for, and what staff should do if they're concerned about a pupil
  • Where pupils can go for support
  • The responsibilities of staff members, such as the inclusion lead or designated safeguarding lead (DSL) 
  • How staff should manage disclosures from pupils 
  • Escalation processes
  • The role of parents and carers

Gordon Primary School, Greenwich Primrose Hill School, Camden Beths Grammar School,