Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS) Social, Emotional and Mental Health support

Our team works with schools to help them provide support for children and young people 0 to 25 years old who are experiencing problems at school because of social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties.

Examples of SEMH difficulties include 

• disruptive behaviour and aggression
• depression
• anxiety
• self-harm
• drug abuse

Our team:

• provides training for schools and other professionals to support children with social, emotional and mental health needs
• gives advice and support to parents and carers, for example how to get a better understanding of their child’s needs
• observes children in classrooms and playground to create an action plan
• meets with school staff and parents to and other professionals involved to develop and coordinate support
• refers children to other services, if needed
• works with children in their homes, if needed
• works closely with other BHISS teams

How we work with schools

BHISS SEMH practitioners offer support, advice and training to staff to help them better understand the needs of children with SEMH and develop approaches to overcome the barriers to their learning.

Support from BHISS SEMH can help reduce the need for exclusions.

If your child is referred to the service by their school, an SEMH practitioner will visit and observe them in the classroom or playground. From this, they create an action plan and meet regularly with staff, parent carers, and other professionals to develop and coordinate approaches that may help.

The team can also signpost to other agencies or refer to other specialists within BHISS.

How we work with children and young people and their families

BHISS SEMH practitioners may work directly with children and young people in their school or educational setting.

The team also works closely with parents, meeting regularly to discuss your child’s needs and progress. This is both to:

• help the practitioner gain a fuller understanding of your child’s life and any challenges they face,
• support you to improve your wellbeing and resilience through a greater understanding of your child’s needs.

How to get support from us

Your child's school will contact us if they need support from us.

Talk to your child’s teacher or Special Educational Needs Coordinator at school if you think your child needs support from BHISS.

Our phone lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4:30pm on Fridays.