SEMH Support and SEN Mentoring for Young People

Social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs are among the most common reasons that children and young people disengage from education. Across the East Midlands, schools and local authorities are seeing growing numbers of pupils who present with anxiety, school avoidance, low self-esteem, trauma responses, and complex emotional needs that sit alongside — or stem from — neurodivergent conditions such as autism spectrum condition (ASC), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), pathological demand avoidance (PDA), and specific learning differences including dyslexia and dyspraxia. These young people are not struggling because they lack ability; they are struggling because the environment around them has not yet been adapted to meet their needs.

SEN mentoring and SEMH intervention provide a structured, relationship-led pathway back to engagement. T Toddles Ltd offers specialist 1:1 mentoring that combines pastoral support with academic re-engagement, delivered by trained staff who understand both the educational and emotional dimensions of a young person's experience. Our mentors build trust over time, work at the child's pace, and create a calm, low-arousal environment in which young people feel safe enough to learn. Sessions may take place in our sensory-aware Safe Space, in the community, or in partnership with the commissioning school — always tailored to the individual and always underpinned by a trauma-informed approach that recognises behaviour as communication.

Effective SEMH support is not a short-term fix. It is a sustained, person-centred process that requires patience, consistency, and genuine understanding. We work with Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils across Nottinghamshire and the wider East Midlands, supporting those experiencing emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA), those at risk of exclusion, looked-after children, and young people transitioning back into education after prolonged absence. Our mentoring complements the work of the commissioning school rather than replacing it, and every placement is informed by the child's EHCP outcomes where one is in place. By addressing the emotional barriers to learning alongside academic content, we help young people rebuild confidence, develop self-regulation strategies, and rediscover a sense of purpose and belonging in their education.