This training is brought to you by one of Slough Borough Council's Educational Psychologists, Catherine Watson, for the attention of SENCOs, Inclusion Managers and all Teaching Assistants working in schools.

Please note this training is only suitable for Slough schools and those within easy distance of Slough. This is because of the ongoing supervision requirement.

The 6 day course qualifies Teaching Assistants to work as ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) in schools and is followed by supervision sessions to embed the programme and support the ELSA. After the first year there will be an annual charge for supervision.

The course dates are the following:

1. Monday 23rd September 2024
2. Monday 14th October 2024
3. Monday 11th November 2024
4. Monday 2nd December 2024
5. Monday 13th January 2025
6. Monday 10th February 2024

It is essential to attend all sessions held at Meeting Room 1, Arbour Park Stadium, Stoke Road, SL2 5AY from 9.15am - 3.15pm. The charge for the course is £500 + £180 for the first year of supervision.

Course details

ELSA training is a 6 day course that aims to support practitioners in developing the emotional literacy and overall resiliency of vulnerable children and young people.

ELSA is a national programme of staff training to support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. It was first developed in Hampshire by Sheila Burton and is well researched and evidence-based. ELSA is a national network, of which Slough Educational Psychology Service is a member.

The ELSA project was developed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources.

ELSAs are trained to plan and deliver bespoke programmes of support for pupils in their school or setting.

The course will cover the following topics and all days will be delivered by an Educational Psychologist:

• An introduction resilience & emotional literacy
• Building resilience and self esteem – security and attachment, belonging, selfhood, motivation and competence
• Managing strong emotions – cognitive behavioural approaches and mindfulness
• Social and friendship skills
• Skills for effective therapeutic conversations
• Creative therapeutic interventions
• Bereavement, loss and family separation
• Procedures and school systems to increase ELSA effectiveness

Trainees receive course notes and a copy of 'Emotional Wellbeing: An Introductory Handbook for Schools, by Gillian Shotton & Shiela Burton. Following the initial training ELSAs meet every half term (6 times a year) for a group supervision session with a small group of other ELSAs and an Educational Psychologist. This is 'clinical' supervision to support the ELSAs to develop their role in school, provide a psychological perspective and includes additional training elements. There is an additional payment (currently £180 per annum) for supervision, the first year of which is included in the course fee.

What ELSAs need from their schools?

When sending someone for training as an ELSA it is important that the school is committed to releasing that person from other duties so that they can deliver ELSA programmes. In most schools this will be for a minimum of one day per week (or equivalent) and this should include time to plan, deliver and evaluate programmes. This can be built up as the training programme progresses.

Attending all dates is mandatory.