ABSTRACT
In the course of your work as a teaching assistant (TA) you will come across a considerable number of children and young people who need support because of social, emotional or mental health difficulties (SEMH). In recent discussions with experienced TAs, they report that children and young people seem more anxious and stressed than was the case ten years ago. They put this down to two main factors. Firstly, the mounting pressure to succeed in national tests and exams, and secondly, the increasing incidence of family breakdown and its impact on children and young people. An important part of every TA's role is noticing when pupils are struggling, and giving pupils more time as well as practical and emotional support.
