ELSA Early Years – September 2026

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing From the Start

Early years practitioners are increasingly supporting children with big emotions, separation difficulties, and challenges with regulation — often without training that is specifically designed for this developmental stage.

Early Years ELSA has been developed to meet this need.

Building on the established ELSA model, this programme adapts emotional literacy support for children aged 0–5, using relational, play-based and developmentally appropriate approaches.

Who is this training for?

This programme is suitable for:

• Early years practitioners in nurseries, preschools and Reception classes
• Teaching assistants working in early years environments
• Childminders and early years providers
• SENCOs and inclusion leads
• Schools and trusts extending ELSA into early years

What will practitioners be able to do?

Following the training, practitioners will be able to:

• Plan and deliver individual emotional literacy interventions
• Run small group sessions using play, story and structured activities
• Support children experiencing anxiety, dysregulation and social difficulties
• Use language and interaction to develop emotional understanding
• Respond to behaviour as communication
• Evaluate the impact of their work within the setting

How is Early Years ELSA different?

Early Years ELSA is not a simplified version of the primary model.

It is designed specifically around early childhood development, with a focus on:

• Attachment and emotionally available adults
• Co-regulation and early self-regulation
• Play and storytelling as core tools
• Developmentally appropriate expectations
• Supporting, not therapeutic, intervention

Early Years ELSA Training Course Structure

Day 1: Emotional Development in the Early Years
Understanding how young children experience and express feelings, and introduction to the Early Years ELSA role.

Day 2: Attachment, Relationships and Emotional Security
Building safe, trusting relationships and supporting emotional security.

Day 3: Emotional Literacy and Co-Regulation
Developing emotional understanding through language, modelling and emotion coaching.

Day 4: Understanding Behaviour and Supporting Self-Regulation
Seeing behaviour as communication, supporting regulation, and responding to individual differences.

Day 5: Play, Anxiety and Emotional Expression
Using play and therapeutic stories to support emotional wellbeing.

Day 6: Planning, Delivering and Evaluating Emotional Literacy Interventions
Designing and evaluating individual and group support within the Early Years ELSA role.

Supporting practice beyond the training

The programme emphasises:

• Reflective practice
• Clear professional boundaries
• Working in partnership with parents and carers
• Applying learning within everyday early years interactions

Trust and Local Authority Delivery

We are able to offer trust-wide and local authority delivery of Early Years ELSA.

This can support:

• Consistent emotional wellbeing provision across settings
• Development of internal capacity
• Alignment with existing ELSA models in primary schools

If you are considering a wider rollout, we would be very happy to discuss a tailored approach.

Investment

This programme provides a complete framework for delivering structured emotional support in early years settings, alongside the knowledge and confidence to apply it in practice.

Places are limited to ensure quality of training and supervision.

The cost is £1050 (+VAT) per delegate.

We accept all major credit and debit cards when you book online, other payment options are available. Please do get in touch with us.