The Relationship between a Child and an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant: An Analysis of Context and Impact

Following research showing that relationships between non-parental adults and children are related to improvements in children's emotional wellbeing, a systematic literature review was undertaken examining qualitative studies exploring the relationships between children and non-parental adults in depth.

This review highlighted ten qualities of these relationships which converged across studies. These qualities were considered in light of theories proposed for the link between relationships and wellbeing.

One recommendation of the review was for further research conducting qualitative explorations of the relationship between schoolbased adults and children. A further recommendation was for research to explore how these relationships may be linked to wellbeing.

The current study aimed to address these recommendations. Mixed methodology was employed to explore the impact of Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) interventions and the qualities, development and impact of the ELSA-child relationship.

A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the progress children receiving ELSA made on measures of wellbeing and academic attainment to a comparison group.

Following this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ELSAs to explore their relationships with children in depth.

The ELSA group made no more progress on normative or criterion referenced measures but did on ELSA target ratings for literacy.

Reasons for non-significant findings are explored and considered alongside qualitative data showing ELSAs perceived an impact on children's wellbeing and academic attainment.

The thematic analysis shed light on the facilitating context of ELSA sessions and the development and qualities of the ELSA-child relationship.

It highlighted the perceived impact on children and the perceived mechanisms of this impact. Additionally, it revealed the impact on ELSAs themselves.

Overall findings were considered in light of previous research and theories.

Limitations of the study are discussed and implications for future practice and research explored.