Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
I am Mrs Bassett, and I work as Coberley’s Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). I am trained to support the emotional development of children within school. My role is to provide targeted, nurturing sessions that help pupils understand their feelings, develop resilience, and build positive relationships.
Everyone experiences big emotions at times, and my job is to help children make sense of those feelings and find healthy ways to cope. By doing this, I aim to help them feel happier, more confident, and ready to learn.
Children are usually referred to me by their teacher or the SENCO, and together we identify the areas where the child needs support and agree on the best ways to provide it. We now have a newly refurbished ELSA room where children can feel safe and comfortable to talk about their emotions and share anything they may be struggling with.
What I can help with
Understanding feelings — recognising emotions and knowing what to do with them
Building confidence — helping children believe in themselves
Friendship skills — making friends, keeping friends, and solving friendship problems
Managing worries — learning strategies to cope with anxiety
Anger management — understanding anger and finding calm-down tools
Social skills — taking turns, sharing, and working well with others
Loss and change — supporting children through difficult times
I work with children in a safe, calm space where they can talk, learn new skills, and practise strategies that help them feel more in control.
To find out more about the ELSA role and how it supports children, please visit the official ELSA website.