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Pastoral Support
Welcome to Lady Boswell’s School’s Pastoral Support page.
It is essential that we help foster positive mental health within our School and following much research and investigation Lady Boswell’s School has devised a three-tiered approach to positive mental health. This ‘framework’ indicates the support that the School, and external agencies, can provide, with a general outline of those who might benefit. For details of what each tier encompasses, please see the document below.
Encompassed within Tier 1 we have the RULER approach to positive mental health.
As part of the first tier of this approach, in March 2020, the School invested in a programme called RULER. This programme supports the positive mental health curriculum followed throughout the School and in the wider school community with our families, and has been provided for every single child in school. Ongoing training takes place across the School with all members of staff and the techniques offered are shared with parents through Parent Webinars.
What is RULER?
RULER is a systemic approach to Social and Emotional Learning developed at the Center for Emotional Intelligence in Yale,US. RULER aims to infuse the principles of emotional intelligence into young children, from EYFS up and throughout primary school, informing how leaders lead, teachers teach, children learn, and families support students.
The approach promotes the development of five key emotional skills, including Recognising, Understanding, Labelling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions (the “RULER” skills).
Encompassed within Tier 2 is ELSA
ELSA stands for Emotional Literacy Support Assistant. An ELSA is a teaching assistant who has had specialised training from educational psychologists. We as a school recognise that children learn better and are more content when their emotional needs are being addressed. The ELSA’s role is to support children and young people in school to understand and regulate their own emotions whilst respecting the feelings of those around them.
In ELSA we aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs:
Recognising emotions
Self-esteem
Social skills
Friendship skills
Anger management
Loss and bereavement
The Lady Boswell's ELSA Assistant is Miss Anna-Marie Pullen
How does ELSA work?
Children are usually referred for ELSA support by their class teacher or on occasion the SENCo. Every half term we meet with to discuss the referral forms and to identify and prioritise which children require a weekly programme for the next 6-8 weeks. With the programme aims in mind we then plan support sessions to facilitate the pupil in developing new skills and coping strategies that allow them to manage social and emotional demands more effectively.
Supporting - not fixing
Remember, ELSAs are not there to fix children's problems. What we can do is provide emotional support.
We aim to establish a warm, respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where they
are able to share honestly their thoughts and feelings.
So what do the children think?!
On completion of their ELSA programmes, we ask the children to reflect on their experiences and to kindly leave us some feedback. Here are some of the lovely comments we receive:
''I know I can talk about my worries''
''It's been helpful''
''I can now see good things in the sad''
''Talking made me worry less''
''I can stay calm now''
*** Parents Self-Help section! ***
Here we can sign-post you to some of the different websites online which offer help and advice to parents.
Do you have an anxious child?
Follow the link below for some useful guidance on helping your child overcome anxieties:
http://blogs.psychcentral.com/stress-better/2016/03/49-phrases-to-calm-an-anxious-child/
**** Recommended self-help anxiety book ! ****
What to Do When You Worry Too Much (A child’s guide to overcoming anxiety) by Dawn Huebner is an interactive self-help book designed to guide 6-12 year olds and their parents through the cognitive-behavioral techniques most often used in the treatment of generalised anxiety. Engaging, encouraging, and easy to follow, this book educates, motivates, and empowers children to work towards change.
Self esteem
Is your child having problems with self esteem? Try following this link which gives some useful advice to parents:
Parental advice on anger management
Help with those 'hot feelings' - some tips and information for parents/guardians about managing anger in children:
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/praise-discipline/anger-management-children
* * * * * * *Recommended book!* * * * * * *
An anger management story for children written by Lori Lite. Children relate to the angry octopus in this story as the sea child shows him how to take a deep breath, calm down, and manage his anger. Children love to unwind and relax with this fun exercise known as progressive muscular relaxation. This effective stress and anger management technique focuses awareness on various muscle groups and breath to create a complete resting of the mind and body. This is a great little story to help children understand that they are in control of their emotions. It focuses on the ownership of feelings and emotions and taking command of the situation.!
***NEW BOOK!!***
This book uses CBT at its core to help younger children understand their angry feelings and make the necessary changes to regulate their emotions. The book was written by Luke Baker, a former ELSA! The book is about The Red family and their youngest member Rory. Rory Red is very angry all of the time. He wants to change but is told by both parents that ‘It is just who you are.’ Rory wants to change and one day meets a new friend Yasmine Yellow. Yasmine shows him the way and helps him to understand how he can change.
The book leads the child through the different stages of anger such as triggers: ‘someone being mean to him’, ‘when he can’t go out to play because it is raining’, ‘when he isn’t allowed his dessert’. It takes the child through the physical effects of anger such as breathing heavier, his heart beating harder and faster. It also looks at Rory’s thoughts such as: ‘hit them!’ ‘break something!’ ‘say bad words!’. Yasmine helps him by suggesting different calming techniques to help him cope with his anger.
Delightful, simple illustrations that children will love. The language is simple and easy to understand. This book would be perfect for EYFS and KS1, (possibly even Lower KS2).