麻豆淫院

Having been involved in conversations relating to the development of the new Schools white paper, I believe there are reasons to be hopeful regarding some of the proposed changes. In my role as vice chair of the , I have responded to calls for evidence, participated in roundtable discussions, and attended parliamentary events. In meetings, often organised or attended by the Department for Education (DfE), civil servants engaged with current concerns and offered opportunities for research-informed recommendations for educational change to be shared.

As part of the , for example, led by and involving collaboration with young people, families, schools and third sector organisations, a shared definition of ‘inclusion’ was developed and is now reflected in the white paper:

Inclusion is all staff supporting the learning, wellbeing and safety needs of all children, so that they belong, achieve and thrive. (DfE, 2026a, p. 39)

It is encouraging to see wellbeing, safety, belonging and thriving embedded within a policy framework that will shape future practice. This emphasis is further reflected in discussions within the Inclusive and Relational Approaches Working Group, organised by , where colleagues from the DfE’s Pupil Mental Wellbeing and Engagement Unit have outlined the development of a Pupil Engagement Framework. This framework is expected to include:

… advice on how to measure factors such as children’s sense of school belonging and safety, inclusion, relationships with teachers and peers, their motivation and how much they value school. (DfE, 2026a, p. 62)

This non-statutory guidance aims to support schools in understanding pupils’ experiences of belonging and engagement, with the intention that more children, including those who are ‘disadvantaged or have SEND’, feel a stronger sense of belonging in school (DfE, 2026a).

These developments align with the national campaign, which called for a national approach to measuring wellbeing. Initiatives such as and already provide valuable insights into the experiences of children and young people, enabling researchers and practitioners to better understand mental health and wellbeing, identify priorities for school-based support, and strengthen .

My explored the emotional work of teachers’ support for children and young people who experience distress in school contexts. Over time, these children and young people have been variously conceptualised as being ‘maladjusted’, experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties, then social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (Jones, 2003; Thomas & Glenny, 2000), and more recently as having . Concerns have been raised about this latest categorisation (Blanco-Bayo & Reraki, 2025), particularly where diagnostic framings risk pathologising difference and distress. As , assumptions about developmental pathways and diagnostic models can locate responsibility within the individual, emphasising ‘problems’ rather than recognising the interaction of contextual factors.

‘Assumptions about developmental pathways and diagnostic models can locate responsibility within the individual, emphasising “problems” rather than recognising the interaction of contextual factors.’

There are also ongoing concerns about the role of teachers in identifying and responding to mental health needs within schools (Glazzard & Stones, 2021). The proposed reframing of SEMH within a revised SEND Code of Practice as ‘social and emotional development and mental wellbeing’ (DfE, 2026b) offers a potentially important movement away from deficit-oriented labels towards more compassionate, inclusive and human(e) responses to distress.

Finally, it is encouraging that the white paper (DfE, 2026a) references the , which now includes a recommendation that schools ‘channel support to individuals whose role is known to have a significant emotional component. This might take the form of peer support, supervision, and/or counselling’ (p. 6). Further progress is reflected in the recent publication of the , developed through DfE-funded, multidisciplinary collaboration. Growing recognition of the need to provide regular time and space for educators to talk about emotional work will, it is hoped, further support and enhance inclusive practices.

References

Blanco-Bayo, A., & Reraki, M. (2025). So, what is it then; Special need, SEMH, both or none? An assessment framework to value their interplay. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 30(1–2), 88–101.

Glazzard, J., & Stones, S. (2021). Supporting young people’s mental health: Reconceptualizing the role of schools or a step too far? Frontiers in Education, 5.

Department for Education [DfE]. (2026a). Every child achieving and thriving.

Department for Education [DfE]. (2026b). SEND reform: Putting children and young people first.

Jones, R. A. (2003). The construction of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Educational Psychology in Practice, 19(2), 147–157.

Thomas, G., & Glenny, G. (2000). Emotional and behavioural difficulties: Bogus needs in a false category. Discourse, 21(3), 283–298.