ELSA stands for Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, a trained teaching assistant who helps children and young people develop their emotional and social skills to support their well-being in school. We are lucky to have two ELSAs at Crescent Primary School.

An ELSA can help children to understand and manage their feelings. They offer a safe space for children to talk, be listened to and explore ways to help themselves feel better.

An ELSA is not there to fix problems but to help the children to find their own solutions and offer that important support to a child or young person.

Relationships are key in helping children and young people to feel safe and nurtured. ELSA is about creating a reflective space for the child or young person.

Drawing and Talking is a gentle and non-intrusive therapy approach that enables individuals to process emotions. It is a person-centered intervention that enables children to express and communicate their emotions through drawing. This is especially beneficial for those children who struggle to articulate their feelings verbally.

The children work for 12 weeks with a trained adult in a safe environment. They meet at the same time every week in the same space.