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The ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) programme was originally developed by Educational Psychologists in England. It was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. This is achieved by training Pupil Support Assistants and Early Years Practitioners employed by ACC to develop and deliver individualised support programmes to meet the emotional needs of children and teenagers in their care. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed. This intervention is now widely implemented by Educational Psychologists across Britain.
Aberdeen City Council Educational Psychology Service (ACC EPS) is the first and currently only service in Scotland to be a registered ELSA service and offer registered ELSA training and status. Aberdeen City EPS have been awarded the ELSA Quality Mark from the ELSA Network who regulate and authorise ELSA training programmes across EPSs
ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by Educational Psychologists (EPs), who apply their professional knowledge of children and young people's social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by pupils. Once training is completed EPs provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality of standards in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils alike.
The role title of ELSA may only legitimately be used by people who:
Have attended (or are currently attending) a full ELSA training course delivered by one or more fully qualified educational psychologists (courses lasting 6 days)
(Once the training has been attended) regularly attend supervision in small groups (with a recommended maximum of 8 ELSAs per group and duration of 2 hours per session), led by a qualified Educational Psychologist (12 hours a year)
Are currently delivering bespoke programmes of support to individual pupils and sometimes small groups
If any of the above criteria do not apply, the role and title of ELSA should not be used. Practising ELSAs are registered with local EPS providers who deliver initial training and on-going professional supervision. The ELSA Network only endorses practice that meets these minimum standards.
ELSA is NOT a behaviour management programme. It is a pro-active intervention to educate children & young people in emotional literacy, emotional regulation and builds their connection and engagement to their education setting.
ELSA’s work with individual children or small groups to promote a sense of belonging, emotional safety and connection to the school. ELSA’s develop and foster emotional intelligence and social skills in pupils of all ages through a range of activities, experiences and games. ELSA’s track and monitor the progress of the pupils they are working with and link with and work alongside other appropriate staff for the pupil within the school, such as class teacher, SMT & SfL staff. The ELSA programme works best when the wider school support ELSA, such as reinforcing key learning or tools used within the ELSA programme. Schools who have signed up for the ELSA programme have made a commitment to give appropriate planning time for their ELSAs to create their bespoke Early Intervention emotional literacy programmes for C&YP.
The following topics are covered in the ELSA training across 6 full-day sessions through theory, activities, videos & interventions:
Emotional Literacy
Intro to ELSAs
Building Resilience & Self-esteem
Affiliation
Competence
Managing Emotions
Social & Friendship
Loss & Bereavement
Therapeutic & Social stories
Motivational Interviewing
Active Listening & Reflective Conversations
If interested in this training, please discuss with one of the Educational Psychologists in your locality or email ELSA@aberdeencity.gov.uk . Please note that invitations to apply for ELSA training normally happen annually around May/June, with all HTs being emailed at that time.
A video showing a previously failing school in England who have fully embraced and embedded ELSAs and the ELSA programme across their school.
A video showing a previously failing school in England who have fully embraced and embedded ELSAs and the ELSA programme across their school.
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