What is ELSA?

ELSAs are Emotional Literacy Support Assistants. They are teaching assistants who have had special training from Educational Psychologists to plan and deliver programmes of support to help pupils 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. ELSAs have regular professional supervision from their Educational Psychologists to help them in their work.

ELSAs are warm, kind and caring people who want to make children and young people feel happy in school and to reach their potential socially, emotionally and academically. They understand the barriers to learning that some children and young people might have and can help them with this.

Supporting - not fixing

An ELSA is not there to fix problems but to help them find their own solutions and offer that important emotional support to a child or young person.

Relationships are key in helping children and young people to feel safe and nurtured. ELSA is about creating a reflective space for the child or young person.

What areas does an ELSA help with?

• Loss and bereavement
• Emotional Literacy
• Self-esteem
• Social Skills
• Friendship issues
• Relationships
• Managing strong feelings
• Anxiety and worries
• Bullying
• Conflict
• Emotional Regulation
• Growth Mindset
• Social and therapeutic stories
• Problem solving

Who are the ELSAs in our school?

Mrs Austin, Miss Brown and Mrs Nolan are the trained ELSAs in our school.