"She's like one of the people that just actually listened" - Listening to the experiences of three post-16 female young adults who identify as having a Social, Emotional and Mental Health Need/s

When helping young people's mental health and well-being in school, a medical paradigm is frequently considered (Timimi et al., 2010; Burman, 2017). More recent studies have started to emphasise the value of the environment and societal support for young people (Bakolis et al., 2018; Boucher et al., 2019). However, research is yet to understand what is helpful from young people's perspective, specifically for those who identify as having Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) need/s. Within this research, I adopt a social constructionist position to understand the experiences of young people with SEMH need/s. A narrative methodology enabled participants to tell their stories. In adhering to a social constructionist perspective, I acknowledge the social and cultural experiences contributing to the multiple realities created and interpreted for individuals. I interviewed Jasmine, Lilac and Ella. They all identify as having SEMH need/s. I used the listening guide (Woodcock, 2016) to facilitate a narrative approach which allowed me to hear and comprehend the young people’s stories. I identified common themes. The following themes identified were; validation and understanding, positive and negative experiences of support, a designated member of staff, education for teachers and young people, individualised approach, therapy, identity, what has an individual experienced as opposed to ‘what is wrong with them?’, empowerment and positivity, understanding their experience, power and agency, social influence and well-being over grades/pressures. The findings identified that societal and cultural discourses are only sometimes representative of young people's experiences when framing them at an individual level. However, these dominant discourses drive how young people should 'be' within the world. The research considers how young people's narratives around SEMH need/s can inform others working within education. The findings also aim to be helpful for Educational Psychology Practice. The young people's thoughts on possible implications are provided too.