Enactment and evolution of the emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) standards framework: a case study

Abstract

Recognised United Kingdom (UK)-wide for strengthening schools’ capacity to support pupils’ emotional wellbeing, the emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) intervention operates within a standards framework established by the ELSA Network. Through a case study of an educational psychology service, this study explores how the ELSA standards are perceived, interpreted, and enacted in real-world contexts, drawing on data collected via interviews and focus groups with educational psychologists and ELSAs. Five categories were identified: standards awareness and communication, standards implementation, standards usefulness, fidelity to the standards and proposed developments. Findings indicate that enactment of the ELSA standards operates as a dynamic and context-dependent process shaped by a continuum of adaptations, with educational psychologists balancing adherence to core requirements with flexible responses to organisational demands. Standards were actively interpreted and negotiated through supervision and local practice, with EPs engaging explicitly with the framework, while ELSAs often engaged more implicitly via supervision and school culture. Variability in interpretation, communication and visibility, particularly around supervision expectations, highlighted challenges to consistency across settings. These findings suggest that strengthening clarity, access and shared understanding of the standards may enhance equity, coherence and implementation fidelity across ELSA practice.