SEBD or SEMH?

Social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) is a term that has long been associated with children who are both troubled and troubling. Indeed, this initialism is the basis on which the name of our association is founded (SEBDA).

However, following the publication of the new SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (DfE/DfH 2015), we found that SEBD had been superceded by the term Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH). But while the initialisms may change, the fundamental needs of the children experiencing emotional neglect or trauma do not.