What is an ELSA?
An ELSA is a Teaching Assistant who has had specialist training and is regularly supervised by an Educational Psychologist to support the emotional development of children within school.
ELSA’s help children to understand their emotions. They provide the time and space for pupils to think about circumstances and how they may manage them.
Emotional literacy is the ability to recognise, understand and appropriately express our emotions.
What sort of things can an ELSA help with?
- Relationships
- Social Skills
- Anger Management
- Understanding Emotions
- Anxiety
- Sadness
- Loss and Bereavement
How Does ELSA work?
Most ELSA programmes will last between 6 – 12 weeks in the annexe, during this time the pupil will learn some specific new skills or strategies to support them. A programme is planned carefully and each session will have objectives and targets.
It is unrealistic to expect ELSA to resolve all their difficulties but the process is to enable the child to find ways to cope with challenges.
What happens in an ELSA session?
The ELSA will work with the child using a range of activities. Each session is designed to engage the child in thinking, understanding and provide time for reflecting.
A session may include: talking and listening, craft, games, stories and friendship groups.
