Scientific approaches to understanding behaviour and supporting schools with SEMH and SEND
Unique Inclusion
Michelle Underwood
Behaviour Analyst
School support for pupils in crisis
In person, fast response
Individualised strategies based on understanding unique pupil needs
Packages of support to include home-based support and direct pupil work if appropriate
Individualised intervention programmes co-produced with schools and families and the young person.
Supporting social emotional mental health (SEMH) and neurodiversity by using a strengths-based, relationship focussed approach.
Trained to MSc level in Positive Behaviour Support and Functional Behaviour Assessment
Behaviour Analyst
Michelle supports schools and families to understand needs and oversee interventions that proactively and positively address areas that may impact the child or young persons ability to access school, community and home settings safely and successfully.
With over 20 years experience and certification as a behaviour analyst, Michelle provides supportive and innovative solutions, for children with and without a diagnosis.
Through promoting inclusion, and establishing trusted relationships, Michelle works with schools and homes to increase the skills and capacities of supporting adults to meet SEMH needs of pupils experiencing difficulty or at risk of exclusion
Packages of Support
tailored to your needs
Positive Behaviour Support
Assess, Plan, Do, Review
School based support providing an intensive package for an individual pupil. 4 weeks for assessment, observation, modelling and feedback, 1.5 hours on site per visit. Comprehensive report detailing proactive preventative strategies and functionally equivalent replacement behaviour alongside recommended reactive strategies. 2 review visits after 4 and 8 weeks to monitor impact and amend where appropriate
Brief SEMH observation and recommendations
6 weeks support for individual pupil, 2 initial school visits, option of home visit or professionals meeting to understand difficulties, brief report and closing visit
School wide positive behaviour support package
multiple pupils, whole classes, staff support
Intensive work across the whole school, incorporating all Unique Inclusion packages as appropriate, to meet individual needs. 4 hours on site per week, for 6 weeks to provide bespoke support for individuals, classes, families and staff.
Wraparound SEMH support
Work in the school and home
Direct work with young person focusing on one area, such as emotionally based school avoidance. Plans produced with school and home to understand needs and remove barriers to school attendance
Parent support focus
Working with parents
support for parents to meet SEMH needs
Direct pupil work
Therapeutic work with young person based on acceptance and commitment therapy
Meeting regularly with the young person to help them to understand themselves and support them to set achieveable goals moving towards their personal values
Staff training and support
Inset, staff meeting or supervision
Bespoke training packages including topics around neurodiversity, SEMH and understanding behaviour
Resources and Tips
articles and links
Our values: Efficacy
EFFICACY, it’s more than just being effective, it’s about actually seeing results, and ensuring intended outcomes are met. All interventions are tailored to the young person. This means identifying their unique strengths, motivations, existing skills and experiences and using this to create a positive, proactive, preventative support plan. Through an MSc in understanding behaviour, training in functional assessment, positive behaviour support and acceptance and commitment therapy, our approach focuses on robust research and over 20 years experience working with children, families and schools. We recognise the difficulty with relying upon consequence interventions, sometimes including praise and reward to encourage young people to engage in different responses. Instead, we provide opportunities for needs to be met proactively, by looking at environmental adaptations, teaching new skills, supporting communication, developing relationships and making social and academic activities easier and more enjoyable. This minimises the risk of additional difficulties raised through continuing with cycles of behaviour and unhelpful or “trial and error”responses. We want it to work, and we know that every child can learn and make progress, so focus our support to finding the environments and approaches needed to achieve this.
Our values: Compassion
Pupils, families and school staff are in crisis. Recognising that change is hard, and crisis is the result of a difficulty dealing with a certain environment or context requires COMPASSION. We listen, we adapt and prioritise support to ensure those we are working with know they are important and listened to. YOU are key players in creating plans and adaptations and YOU are the experts on the young person. Making sure you have whatever you need to be able to introduce something new and try something unknown, and ensuring you don’t feel judged or criticised for being honest is essential. We know it’s hard, you wouldn’t be in touch if it wasn’t. Tell us more, we’re listening.
Our venues: Efficiency
EFFICIENCY to us, means working quickly, and using the time where it is needed to have maximum impact. Sometimes this looks like observation, sometimes it is focussed mostly on direct work with the pupil, sometimes staff training, parent work or detailed planning of interventions. It is often a combination of all the above, but by using evidence-based psychological theory and understanding (developed through post graduate level training, qualifications, registrations and continuing professional development), as well as 24 years experience in the field, quick decisions can be made and time used where it is most valuable. You won’t find us on the phone talking about the difficulties, we will get that visit booked ASAP and see you all face to face. We only work locally, in the Berkshire area which allows us to be EFFICIENT with travel time and costs. Initial referral is via parent/carer consent, the rest of the information is gathered on site allowing for a fast response, all reflective of this value,
