Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs)

Many pupils were identified as missing out on learning through fixed term and internal exclusions and some were missing school through persistent absence and school refusing. Amongst these pupils a high number had Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs resulting in behaviour concerns and escalating concerns about attendance or risk of exclusions. Schools fed back that access to external therapeutic support for students could be a challenge.

The Norwich Opportunity Area (NOA) provided funded emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) training for teaching assistants in primary and secondary schools. ELSA training covers: social skills, emotions, bereavement, social stories and therapeutic stories, anger management, self-esteem and counselling skills, such as solution focus and friendship. 

The Inclusion project manager organised an exploratory meeting with the ELSA training Hub for Norfolk (CEPP – Child Education Psychology Practice), obtaining information about the structure and costs of the training course and ongoing supervision costs as well as the recommended school resources. Supervision is mandatory in order for ELSAs to continue to practice. 

The project manager introduced the idea of ELSAs at an Inclusion Champions Meeting with primary and secondary school representatives.  Then organised training dates, invited schools to express their interest in participating, recruited delegates, where possible arranged information sessions with the provider and shared details about the training commitment and terms and conditions for the funding for schools, participants and their line manager to agree to. 

On completion of training, schools were responsible for identifying pupils to be supported by the intervention and ensuring the ELSA approach formed part of the whole school approach.

Having trained ELSAs in schools builds capacity for schools to support the emotional needs of pupils using in-house resources. ELSAs provide emotional support whilst establishing a warm and respectful relationship with a pupil. They provide a reflective space where the pupil is able to honestly share their thoughts and feelings. At a time when services have been stretched, the ELSA role has provided pupils with early help and counselling approaches, and where needed, a stepping stone to specialist services. 

A strong, open and honest relationship with the ELSA Hub in Norfolk was key to managing school participation and to measure longer term impact. Schools fed back that ELSAs were particularly well used during Autumn Term 2020 to support children to return successfully to learning following the significant disruption to learning for some students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The first two rounds of ELSA training were conducted face to face but this had to be adapted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The virtual approach worked better than expected.

Key learning points: 

• Arrange ELSA briefing session for senior leaders in schools considering participating, to clarify the training content, what it involves for staff and how managers can support staff – this only took place once and was really successful. 
• Encourage more ELSAs to be trained at secondary phase to support pupils with successful transition into secondary school. 
• Encourage line managers of ELSAs to attend the training sessions (not supervision) so they can be better informed of the work that their ELSAs will be undertaking and can provide the relevant support and empathy. 
• Encourage whole school CPD around ELSAs at both primary and secondary. 
• Be clear with schools that they will be charged if they don’t attend the training. The NOA would have been obliged to pay for any “no shows” and it puts real value on the training offered. Unfortunately, some schools will not put a true value on something that is being offered free of charge. 

Case studies from schools with practising ELSAs demonstrated improvements in attendance, a reduction in the number of behavioural incidents and improved social, emotional and mental health for pupils. 

We are expecting our first impact reports from the line managers of ELSAs in Spring 2022 and this will hopefully provide further evidence of the success of the ELSA project and its continuing impact on the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of children who have received ELSA support.