Exploring the relationship between the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing – a case study.

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Title: Exploring the relationship between the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing – a case study.
Authors: Rogers, Helena1 (AUTHOR) helena.rogers@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk, Kelly, Catherine1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Pastoral Care in Education. Dec2025, Vol. 43 Issue 4, p584-606. 23p.
Subject Terms: *Educational intervention, *Field research, *Social networks, *Emotional intelligence, *Holistic education, *Educators, Well-being, Social services
Abstract: The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention was designed to build the capacity of schools to support social and emotional needs. Within the current research base, there is little focus on the relationship between the ELSA intervention and its wider school context. This study adopted a qualitative single-case-study design to explore the relationship between the ELSA intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing in one primary school, hearing the voices of the ELSA, school staff, parents, and an assistant educational psychologist. Reflexive thematic analysis generated five key themes: conceptualisations of whole-school approaches and the ELSA role; communication and connection facilitate wider understanding and wrap-around support; this is the way we do things – enacting relational values across the whole school; organisational and leadership support as the foundation for successful ELSA work; and the importance of increasing wider support to meet needs. Findings indicate the importance of shared relational values and practices, with understanding and support for the ELSA intervention across the school community. The ELSA intervention becoming an embedded component of a whole-school approach to wellbeing appears to facilitate addressing pupils' needs in context and allows ELSAs to use their skills, knowledge, and ways of being to contribute towards whole-school practice. Implications for practice are discussed for both educational professionals and educational psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Pastoral Care in Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Exploring the relationship between the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing – a case study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rogers%2C+Helena%22">Rogers, Helena</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> helena.rogers@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kelly%2C+Catherine%22">Kelly, Catherine</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Pastoral+Care+in+Education%22">Pastoral Care in Education</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 43 Issue 4, p584-606. 23p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+intervention%22">Educational intervention</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Field+research%22">Field research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+networks%22">Social networks</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+intelligence%22">Emotional intelligence</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Holistic+education%22">Holistic education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educators%22">Educators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well-being%22">Well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+services%22">Social services</searchLink>
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  Data: The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention was designed to build the capacity of schools to support social and emotional needs. Within the current research base, there is little focus on the relationship between the ELSA intervention and its wider school context. This study adopted a qualitative single-case-study design to explore the relationship between the ELSA intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing in one primary school, hearing the voices of the ELSA, school staff, parents, and an assistant educational psychologist. Reflexive thematic analysis generated five key themes: conceptualisations of whole-school approaches and the ELSA role; communication and connection facilitate wider understanding and wrap-around support; this is the way we do things – enacting relational values across the whole school; organisational and leadership support as the foundation for successful ELSA work; and the importance of increasing wider support to meet needs. Findings indicate the importance of shared relational values and practices, with understanding and support for the ELSA intervention across the school community. The ELSA intervention becoming an embedded component of a whole-school approach to wellbeing appears to facilitate addressing pupils' needs in context and allows ELSAs to use their skills, knowledge, and ways of being to contribute towards whole-school practice. Implications for practice are discussed for both educational professionals and educational psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Pastoral Care in Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/02643944.2024.2381743
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Educational intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Field research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social networks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional intelligence
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      – SubjectFull: Holistic education
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      – SubjectFull: Educators
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      – SubjectFull: Well-being
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      – SubjectFull: Social services
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      – TitleFull: Exploring the relationship between the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) intervention and whole-school approaches to wellbeing – a case study.
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            NameFull: Rogers, Helena
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            NameFull: Kelly, Catherine
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            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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