Agenda item 5
BOROUGH OF POOLE
SCHOOLS FORUM 25 JUNE 2014
FUNDING ALLOCATION OF UNDERSPEND RELATED TO EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
STATUS: Strategic
1. PURPOSE
1.1 To establish agreed funding for the supervision of ELSAs in Poole schools for the school year 14-15.
1.2 To agree how the remaining funding of £54,265 will be used.
2. DECISIONS REQUIRED
2.1 To agree to the PSA recommendation for proposed funding of ELSA supervision for £10,000 for 2014/15 and the remaining £54,265 to be distributed to schools with infant classes needing to provide Universal Free School Meals (as proposed by LMS).
3. BACKGROUND/INFORMATION
3.1 Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) are school staff, typically TAs and other support staff, who have undertaken accredited ELSA training. The model of ELSA work and associated training was developed some years ago by Hampshire Educational Psychology Service. It is now nationally recognised as an evidence based, effective intervention for children and young people with lower level emotional/mental health needs who would benefit from targeted, time limited intervention but are below thresholds for referral to NHS mental health services (CAMHS).
The ELSA training and delivery model is set out in the programme materials should be adhered to if is to be effective and ‘true’ to the model and practitioners are to use the title ELSA. This is similar to other ‘branded’ approaches such as Reading Recovery (Literacy), Early Bird (for autism) or Incredible Years (Parenting).ELSA training and supervision should be delivered by Educational Psychologists.
The 6 day ELSA training modules cover:
· What is meant by emotional literacy
· Self esteem and emotional resilience
· Self regulation and anger
· Social communication, including ASD
· Skills to develop and maintain friendship
· Loss and bereavement
Practising ELSAs attend group supervision half termly with EPs trained in ELSA supervision. Supervision has 3 aspects:
· Normative: to ensure standards of practice and adherence to the model
· Formative: to enhance knowledge and skills
· Restorative: to provide support for the emotional demands of ELSA work
3.2 ELSA in Poole
Since 2009, almost 60 Poole school staff have completed the accredited ELSA training delivered by Educational Psychologists within the EP service who are experienced in ELSA training. The course was initially 5 days but has been updated and is now 6 days.
ELSA was introduced to support the work of the TaMHS project, but was, and remains, a distinct role. After the TaMHS project ended, a multiagency programme with the backing of the head teachers’ SISG group set up a project to continue to support mental health and well being in school, in collaboration with the LA and CAMHS. Continuing to train and support ELSA was a significant element of this project. Nick Wharam presented a report on the EL programme to LMS in March. £15K was paid to the EP service from project funds in 13/14 for ELSA training and supervision. This report is attached below.
Current numbers of ELSAs in Poole:
EPS records indicate there are currently 51 practising ELSAs.
In 2009 10 ELSAs were trained
In 2010 11 ELSAs were trained
In 2013 33 ELSAs were trained Total trained = 54
Only 3 people have dropped out over time. 2 have moved/left. 1 has not attended supervision as school declined to fund it.
The 51 ELSAs are entitled to half-termly supervision (in 6 groups of up to 11) with an Educational Psychologist. The expectation is that they attend at least 4 out of 6 sessions to retain their accreditation as practising ELSAs. Attendance will be reviewed at the end of the summer term.
3.3 Funding for ELSA 2009-2014
The first 2 cohorts (2009 2010) were school funded. The training cost per person was around £300. For these ELSAs, the cost of supervision following training has been £190 a year for 6 x 2 hour group supervision sessions, also funded by schools.
The cohort trained in spring term 2013 was funded through the Emotional Literacy /SISG project. The funding of £15K included training plus the cost of supervision for 4 terms, up to July 2014. Funding for this cohort is therefore coming to an end shortly.
The EPS therefore receives funding for the provision of ELSA supervision but this comes from 2 different sources. Currently there are 18 ‘old’ ELSAs whose schools pay individual supervision costs through an annual charge and 33 ‘new’ ELSAs whose supervision costs were funded as a cohort though the SISG project until the end of this term, July 2014.
3.4 Future training and funding for ELSA
CYPL receive regular enquiries about ELSA training and it would appear there is a demand.
Training:
The EPS would in principle be able to deliver a 6 day training course if required in Spring Term 2015. The autumn term would be difficult as the service priority will be the implementation of the new SEN framework. Delivery is subject to funding to pay for ‘backfill’ as well as the availability of part-time or locum psychologists to provide this.
The course is 6 days spread over a number of weeks. It is delivered by 2 EPs and can accommodate up to 32 ELSAs. However, every new ELSA will require supervision and the capacity of the EPs to deliver this needs to be taken into account
The cost of delivering one training course would be in the region of £12,000 to cover EP preparation and delivery time, course materials, admin, venue hire. Costs could vary depending on venue availability and whether lunch is provided. Unused places could be offered at a reasonable cost to schools in nearby LAs.
Supervision:
While a course could train up to 32 new ELSAs it will be necessary to ensure they have access to the required supervision after training.
The capacity of the Educational Psychology team to deliver supervision next academic year and beyond is likely to be 70, assuming 7 EPS each support a group of 10 ELSAs. Currently EPs support 51 ELSAs, giving 19 ‘spaces’. It is likely that we will find some ELSAs dropping out at the end of the school year through retirement; role changes etc, creating some more spaces in supervision groups. We will be following up on ELSAs who have not attended regularly. So if a further cohort were to be trained in spring 2015 it is likely there would be capacity to provide supervision to at least 25 new ELSAs.
The cost of providing supervision is around £200 per ELSA per year. This is based on EP planning and delivery time, administration, resources and refreshments. (Rooms are provided without charge currently).If supervision was funded centrally for the current cohort of ELSAs, the cost would be approx. £10,000 per year. If this increased to 70 ELSAs, the cost would be around £14,000 a year.
3.5 Recommendation of Poole Schools Association
The above information was considered by Poole Schools Association (PSA). This was in the context of an underspend from the Emotional Literacy Programme delivered through SISG and PSA consideration about how the unused funds schools be used.
The recommendation of PSA was that funding should be allocated for supervision from the Educational Psychology team for practising ELSAs in Poole schools for the school year 14-15. The remainder of the underspend would be returned to schools.
4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The underspend of the SISG Emotional Literacy programme was £64,625.
The PSA recommendation is to allocate £10,000 to Educational Psychology and return the balance of £54,625 to schools.
5. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
5.1 The options outlined are compliant with school funding legislation and guidance.
6. RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
7. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
7.1 The aim of the policy is to ensure all practising ELSAs in Poole receive supervision regardless of financial pressures on individual schools, thereby ensuring the needs of vulnerable pupils are met.
8. CONCLUSIONS
8.1 A proposal has bee put forward to use a portion of the unspent resources from the Emotional Literacy project to fund the professional supervision of Emotional Literacy Support Assistants for the next academic year.
Report Author: Mary Chamberlain Contact officer: Mary Chamberlain
Background Papers:
Appendix 1: Emotional Literacy Programme Report 31.03.14
APPENDIX 1
Report to LMS
31 March 2014
Emotional Literacy Programme
This was a multi-agency programme agreed through the Poole Mental Health and Emotional Well-being Group and Schools Forum.
It built on the success of the Targeted Mental Health in Schools TaMHS Pilot which was positively evaluated by Southampton University.
The components of the programme were;
· £115,000 allocated by schools to run the Emotional Literacy Programme.
· Additional funding of £45,000 from the Local Authority and the PCT to increase staffing in Tier 2 CAMHS to roll out the TaMHS model across all schools.
· Additional investment from SISG into Emotional Literacy Support Assistants training and support.
In terms of £115,000 allocated by schools from DSG this was monitored through a steering group which reported to SISG (until SISG ended).
In summary the £115,000 was committed as follows;
2012/13 / 2013/14Payments to Teaching School for programme administration, training costs and Emotional Literacy Packs for Schools / £9,491 / £21,244
Early Years component of programme delivered to pre-school Early Years Settings / £20,000
Total / £29,491 / £21,244
Total Spent / £50,735
Total Underspend / £64,265
The programme did deliver a range of training sessions on different aspects of mental health and a handbook for schools on emotional and mental health. The Early Years component (including a conference, multi-agency workshops and specific training sessions) was very well attended overall. Booklets and handbooks were published, supporting resources were disseminated and network groups were established.
However the budget for the DSG element of the programme was significantly underspent. This is due primarily to three reasons;
· Some of the courses were not well attended or had to be cancelled.
· Most of the courses were delivered by CAMHS and other trainers at little or no cost to DSG, where as the budget was established on SISG rates for hosting and providing training.
· More than half the budget was allocated against the SISG formula for subsidising attendance from schools’ staff and their back fill in schools. The level of claims against this has been significantly lower than predicted (three months has been allowed for late claims).
A suggestion was made towards the end of the programme that any underspend could be used to fund training and equipment for HeartMath, a biofeedback programme and some schools attended a product demonstration. If schools were interested in this as an option there would need to be an agreed route for commissioning from the supplier, especially if schools wish to negotiate a discount through a multiple school arrangement.
Emotional and Mental Health remains an area of concern to schools and other partner agencies in the Children’s Trust and there is a current Mental Health in Schools working group with schools well represented.
Nick Wharam
Strategic Planning and Commissioning Manager