Mental Health and Wellbeing

ELSA

What is ELSA?

The ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) intervention was originally developed within Southampton, then Hampshire, by Sheila Burton, Educational Psychologist. 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 teaching assistants 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.

ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists, who apply their professional knowledge of children’s social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by pupils. They provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils alike.

Our fully trained ELSA is Mrs Barnes. Children can be referred to Mrs Barnes for ELSA support and intervention by class teachers in conjunction with parents.

Jigsaw

How would children benefit if they could be aware of their thoughts and feelings as they happen, in the present moment, on purpose with no judgement?

This is what mindfulness means. It can be learnt, and techniques to develop it taught. It also needs to be practised. We believe mindfulness is a vital tool for life, not only does it support the regulation of emotion and build emotional resilience but also enhances focus and concentration; both helping to optimise learning.

Mindful children can more readily choose their responses to situations rather than react while caught up in the thought-flows and emotions.

In Jigsaw PSHE, mindfulness is developed through the ‘Calm Me’ time in each piece (lesson). This consists of breathing techniques, awareness exercises, visualisations etc, all tried, tested and very

enjoyable activities for children and teachers alike. Observing your thoughts and feelings, on purpose, in the present moment with no judgement…what a gift!

Celebrating differences

As a school we actively raise awareness for numerous special events throughout the calendar including:

• Mental Health week
• Anti-Bullying Week
• Children in Need
• Comic Relief
• Down’s Syndrome day
• Christmas Jumper day
• NSPCC number day