ELSA

Emotional Literacy Support Assistant 

What is ELSA?

ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is a national programme of staff training to support children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs. It was first developed in Hampshire Council by Sheila Burton (an Educational Psychologist), and it has been well researched and is based on evidence of success. ELSA is a national network, of which Aberdeen City Educational Psychology Service is a member. 


The ELSA project was developed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. Being emotionally literate helps children focus better on their learning.

 

ELSAs are Pupil Support Assistants (PSAs) or Early Years Practitioners (EYPS) who are trained to plan and deliver programmes of support for pupils in their school or setting. 

 

ELSAs will be able to carry out individual pupil or small group sessions. They will develop programmes of support that are matched to the needs of the pupils. They will then monitor these interventions using appropriate tools to evaluate their impact. During the academic year, ELSAs will receive a number of group supervision sessions from an Educational Psychologist. This is to provide opportunities to develop their skills and experience.

What is an ELSA?

ELSAs are Emotional Literacy Support Assistants. They are a trained, specialist PSAs or EYPs, currently employed by ACC, with a wealth of experience in working with and supporting children. ELSAs are trained and regularly supervised by an Educational Psychologist.

 

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 build your child’s emotional development and help them learn to find ways to cope with life’s challenges. The ELSA will help your child find solutions to problems they may have.


What is emotional literacy?

·       Understanding and coping with the feelings about ourselves and others

·       Developing good self-esteem and positive interactions with others

·       Having the skills to manage relationships and cope with challenges

 

What are the areas an ELSA might work on?

·       Recognising emotions

·       Self-esteem

·       Social skills

·       Friendship skills

·       Emotional regulation

·       Change and loss

·       Building strengths and resilience

 

What an ELSA session might look like?

·       Regularly, planned and timetabled sessions usually over a block of time (approximately 6 weeks)

·       Activities in sessions could include games, stories, play activities, arts and crafts, role play with a focus on a particular topic related to emotional literacy

·       Sessions might be individual or within a small group

 


Aberdeen City Educational Psychology Service 


Aberdeen City received the ELSA Network Quality Mark for their training and supervision delivery and registration.

 

Aberdeen City Educational Psychology Service have trained a number of PSAs & EYPs across Aberdeen City in the ELSA programme over the last couple of years. 


There is a breadth of ELSA experience across Aberdeen City, however not every school currently has a trained ELSA within their setting.  Please note that ELSA training is only offered to PSAs & EYPs employed by Aberdeen City, whose school leaders can provide enough support to the ELSA programme.