Slater Primary School
Together We Believe. Together We Achieve
ELSA
ELSA (Stands for Emotional Literacy Support Assistant)
ELSA is a well-researched programme of support used by schools to support children. We have a qualified ELSA on site, Mr Smith. Educational Psychologists have trained him to plan and deliver support programmes to pupils experiencing short or longer-term additional emotional needs. We aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs::
- Recognising emotions
- Self-esteem
- Social skills
- Friendship skills
- Anger management
- Loss and bereavement
What is ELSA
There will always be children and young people in schools facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with learning. Some will require a greater level of support to increase their emotional literacy than others. ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by Educational Psychologists. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are met.
Referral
Children are usually referred for ELSA support by their class teacher, Senior Leaders, SENDCo or by parents’ request. The ELSA and SENCo meet each other regularly to discuss the referrals and to identify and prioritise which children require the weekly sessions. They then plan support sessions to facilitate the pupil in developing new skills and coping strategies that allow them to manage their social and emotional needs more effectively.
Remember, ELSAs are not there to fix children’s problems. What we can do is provide emotional support. We aim to establish a warm and respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where they are able to share honestly their thoughts and feelings. It needs to be appreciated that change cannot necessarily be achieved rapidly and is dependent upon the context and complexity of the presenting issues. For children with complex or long-term needs it is unrealistic to expect ELSA intervention to resolve all their difficulties, however support will be designed to target specific aspects of a child’s need. Training and development of ELSAs is an ongoing process and they receive regular supervision. In some cases Mrs Wildgoose can also support with external services.