Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)

Here at Peel Common Nursery and Infant School not only do we value your child's education but also their welfare.  Miss Clements is our ELSA, she has received training from Hampshire Education Child Psychologists.  At some time in our lives we all experience difficulties and unfortunately children are not immune to the same problems adults encounter.  At the school we recognise the need to support your child through these difficult periods in their lives.

What is emotional literacy?

• Understanding and coping with the feelings of ourselves and others
• Developing high self-esteem and positive interactions with others
• Being emotionally literate helps children focus better on their learning

What kind of things do we help with?

• Bereavement including that of family pets and adults who were important to the child
• Children living with lifelong conditions who feel frustrated or unhappy with how this impacts on them
• Children experiencing problems coping with anger or who feel subdued and withdrawn
• Children whose parents are living with serious illness which impacts on the family
• Children whose parents are serving in the armed forces struggling to cope with separation
• Children whose parents separate or divorce and find it difficult to cope with the changes this brings
• Children with low self-esteem
• Children who find themselves placed in care
• Families who find themselves in a situation of homelessness

How does ELSA work?

• A regular slot during the school week
• In a quiet/private area
• Sessions can be individual or in a small group, tailored to the child’s needs
• Sessions are fun and might include role-play, puppets, board games, art and crafts and stories
• They may include therapeutic storytelling

Our support is delivered in a caring, supportive and fun way.  We try to help children find ways to cope with their challenges by helping them build the skills that will help them be able to cope and