A conversation with Kirsten, an experienced SENCO: The evidence of many children struggling in every class

Kirsten is an experienced primary SENCO working with several small schools. She discussed the challenges in tracking social-emotional development in primary schools. She noted a significant increase in children struggling with emotional regulation and resilience, often first identified in reception but neglected in subsequent years.

Current assessment focuses on cognition and learning, neglecting emotional development. Despite the introduction of ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) roles, schools increasingly struggle to afford classroom assistants and the needs for help far outstrips supply of adults able to listen and serious school funding challenges are actively limiting what schools can manage to provide.

Kirsten emphasized the need for formal assessment of emotional development, similar to the Early Years framework, to ...