Introduction to ELSA

What is an ELSA?

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 also addressed.

An ELSA is a specialist teaching assistant with a wealth of experience of working with children.  ELSAs are trained and regularly supervised by the Educational Psychologists in Westmorland and Furness. An ELSA is a warm and caring person who wants to help your child feel happy in school and to reach their potential educationally. Their aim is to remove the barriers to learning and to have happy children in school and at home.

ELSAs help children and young people learn to understand their emotions and respect the feelings of those around them. They provide the time and space for pupils to think about their personal circumstances and how they manage them.

It was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources.

Our Aim

We aim to establish a warm, respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where they are able to share their thoughts and feelings. We can't necessarily fix their problems, but we CAN provide emotional support. 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. If additional support is needed, we will work with our families to organise additional support  from other agencies.

In ELSA we aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs:

• recognising and understanding emotions
• building self esteem
• social skills
• friendship skills
• anger and behaviour management
• loss and bereavement
• relaxation techniques
• transition / change

Teaching children skills to help them deal with their emotions.

How to refer a child for ELSA support

Children are usually referred for ELSA support by their class teacher and SENDCo. With referral forms and discussing with teachers, we will prioritise which children require a programme for the next 6-8 weeks. With the programme aims in mind, we then plan support sessions to facilitate the pupil in developing new skills and coping strategies that allow them to manage social and emotional demands more effectively.

Each session lasts from 30 to 45 minutes, once a week. Each session includes time to talk (emotional check-in), a planned main activity which will be interactive and may include a game, followed by some quiet, relaxation time.

ELSA sessions will vary from 1-2-1’s to small groups.

Depending on the child's needs, one off sessions can also be arranged, as well as weekly check-ins rather than a programme of sessions.

Supporting - not fixing

Remember, ELSAs are not there to fix children's problems. What they do is provide emotional support to those who need it. They aim to establish a warm, respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where children are able to share their thoughts and feelings.

For children with complex or long-term needs it is unrealistic to expect ELSA intervention to resolve all of their difficulties. However, support will be provided with a referral into Young Lives with our Play Therapy  practitioner.

Meet Our ELSA's - Mrs Bland and Mrs Sefil