Support Services Overview:
Elements specialise in providing bespoke Social & Emotional Mental Health Support programmes to children and young people who may be struggling to regulate their emotions. We offer one to one or group support within a safe, non-judgemental environment.
Valuable strategies are provided to parents and teachers so they can better communicate with the child or young person.
Evaluation following engagement:
As an overview / guide to our process following support engagement would be:
Week 1: The Elements evaluation form is completed by the child, parent & teacher, then we can form a detailed picture of where things are currently at.
Week 12: We complete another evaluation form to measure any outcomes.
During the support process, we will operate as a youth mental health first aider as well as a trained person-centred counsellor. This enables us to spot the early signs of any mental health problems as well as using person-centred theory.
The children & young people will receive their own elements Journal where they can write or draw any thoughts or feelings they may have during the week.
Please note that Elements Support only facilitate half or full days:
08:30 – 12:30
13:00-15:00
08:30 – 16:00
Why is it important to support children & young people with social & emotional mental health therapy?
When children & young people feel their emotional well-being is being prioritised, they are far more likely to feel better about themselves, engage positively in learning, and reach their full potential. Elements SEMH support offers multiple creative ways of supporting children & young people, thus adding value to their mental health and well-being.
How do elements support children & young people with SEMH?
Elements is a child-centred service, meaning we holistically support the child and meet them where they are at without any expectations or judgments. The elements programme supports the child by assessing the four elements of well-being: physical health, mental health, social skills and environmental health. It’s about being creative and not becoming too attached to the outcome. We include the following activities: Chess chat, the “I” statement, self-awareness through self-reflection and scenario-based exercises.
What are the benefits of elements supporting children & young people with SEMH?
There are huge benefits for children receiving elements SEMH support, including the following:
- Children & young people can identify for themselves where improvements are needed in a safe, friendly environment.
- Children will learn about social cues and how to communicate more effectively to have their voices heard.
- Staff will begin to see the subtle changes in behaviour which is reflective of their emotional well-being.
- Both children, staff and parents often feel that bit more connected than they did before, which is what elements is all about, “staying connected”
Elements Mentoring Programme: “Elementors”
Our mentoring service is designed to offer support to children and young people who may be suffering with emotional difficulties. We have a small team of dedicated indiduals, led by Elements founder: “Steven Russell”.
Providing a view point from a “Lived Experience”
Growing up in the care system has enabled Elements founder “Steven Russell” to become an effective communicator with children living in care.
Steven’s lived experience has enable him to connect and inspire hundreds of children to become more optimistic about their lives despite their circumstances of being a child in care.
How can I support children living in care with adverse childhood experiences?
Steven’s entire childhood was filled with emotional pain and uncertainty therefore, building relationships with children in care is a natural process for him.
Steven has had a lot of success mentoring boy’s, specifically young males who are struggling to regulate their emotions, or lack the presence of a positive male role model in their lives.
Steven’s approach enables a bond to be created with the child / young person. By drawing on his experiences of care, Steven is able to demonstrate to them, that it is possible to achieve in life, despite experiencing setbacks and rejection.
Elementors are able to attend PEP and CIC review meetings and report on outcomes and recommendations.
How are Elements qualified to support children living in care?
Steven has over 12 years’ experience supporting vulnerable children & young people living in residential care. Children who had suffered neglect / abuse / trauma and rejection or who may have been deemed at risk from CSE or Significant self-harm.
He holds:
- A Level 5 diploma in leadership & management for children’s and young people’s services
- Level’s 1,2 & 3 in person-centred counselling studies recognised by the CPCAB.
- Youth mental health first aid, spotting the early signs of mental health problems.
- Drawing & Talking therapy for children with PTSD, bereavement, or struggle to communicate.
Virtual well-being assemblies / workshops
“Creativity is the birthplace of expression”
How do virtual well-being sessions promote the welfare of children & young people?
In an ever-changing world where we strongly depend on virtual constructs to communicate with each other. Virtual assemblies & workshops are a great way to deliver key messages to children and staff around multiple topics in key areas such as resilience, diversity & equality and self-care.
What sort of well-being sessions do Elements Support deliver?
Elements can deliver a wide variety of well-being sessions to meet the need, sessions can also be tailor made if there were a specific area of interest.
- “Let’s talk about Diversity and Equality”
- “Get Perspective”
- “The Drama Triangle”
- “The life of a bully”
- “Steven’s chaotic adventure” – #pain2purpose
- “Year 6 transition to high school programmes”
- “Social & communicational skills”
- And many more
What are the main benefits of using these virtual well-being sessions?
- Children & young people can become inspired with an optimistic outlook on life.
- Improved social & communicational skills.
- The Drama triangle helps children & young people understand relationships better.
- A better understanding of diversity and equality and why they are important.
- Learning how pain is related to bullying and why bullies bully.
- Year 6 children can better mentally prepare for the big jump to high school.
- Children & young people notice a difference in their self-esteem and self-belief.
Workshops for Professionals
“Drip By Drip, Day By Day” Consultancy
Drip By Drip Consultancy Ltd is a creative and innovative service designed to compliment the good work care providers are already offering.
Since founding Elements Support in 2019, Steven Russell (Founder/Director) has trained and advised over 4,000 professionals, ranging from teachers to social workers, foster carers and residential support staff.
Based on overwhelmingly positive feedback about the impact of his work, Steven decided to launch “Drip By Drip consultancy”. With one aim: To further aid professionals in their quest to better understand the lived experience of the child in care.
Who is the service for?
Any practitioner who support children and young people in any capacity.
Whether you are a local authority, residential support company, fostering agency or an educational provision, Steven can support your vision both from his own lived experiences in care, and also his professional experiences in residential care, schools, and family support.
What’s it all about?
The workshops are about taking attendees on an inspirational journey, that will not only create new ways of thinking, but also new ways of feeling towards the children and young people they support.
Drip By Drip Day By Day essentially means, if we practice patience, exercise empathy, and learn to become more creative within ourselves and, the children and young people we support, then we can begin to form stronger connections that will make a real difference. For a lot of the children and young people we support, they often feel as though the world is a cold place to survive in, and so they develop ice. If we as caring and compassionate people have enough empathy, patience, optimism, and essentially love, for our children and young people, then we can radiate warmth to melt the ice away, Drip By Drip Day By Day.
Event Duration
To get the most out of the workshop, we would recommend booking the day long event (7hrs) as it is packed with interactive activities. We can however, tailor a shorter, bespoke presentation that will suit your needs e.g: 1hr/ 3hrs.
Full day Start time 09:30 Finish time 15:30
Included in this training package is a “Reflection/process session” which will follow the training session via Teams. This session enables practitioners to reflect and discuss how they have processed the learning material, and how they have implemented changes in their practice.
The Elements Team
The Elements Team
It’s so important to have the “Right” Team of people to create and nurture connections. Our Elements Team consists of founder Steven Russell and a small team of skilled “Elementors”. Find out more about Steven below. Or click HERE to read more about his story and how he turned his pain to purpose.
Steven Russell
Founder of Elements SEMH Support
Steven Russell
Founder of Elements SEMH Support
Accreditation
You can be totally safe in the knowledge that all Elements Support staff are fully DBS accredited. Click the link below.
View Our Services Brochure
View our Services Brochure
Client Feedback
Client Feedback
Elements Support has received widespread praise from industry professionals including “Daniel Sobel”; an internationally respected leader in inclusive education, who has advised the DfE, the EU and governments abroad and the founder of Inclusion Expert and Daniel Croft; CEO of Foster Talk UK and industry professional with over 20 years of experience.
Below you can find a selection of the positive feedback that we’ve received from children / young people, organisations and industry professionals who have worked exclusively with Elements SEMH and Steven Russell.
If you are a Pastoral, Inclusion Lead or SLT, and you are looking for bespoke, highly effective SEMH support for your students, then I highly recommend Steven Russell. The Elements programme is tailor-made to meet your needs and it works and is backed up by testimony from many school leaders. Before you struggle-on or worry about a potential exclusion, call Steven and try out his service.
There’s a lot that I could say about Steven but I think that most people immediately get that he is genuine, real and highly experienced drawing from his own life story. He is a powerful, innovative and important voice working with children with SEMH challenges.
Elements provides a uniquely authentic child centred approach and through its bespoke support programme it not only excellently connects the four elements of the wellbeing framework but also focuses on providing a safe, non-judgemental environment in which a child can flourish at a fundamental level.
In over 20 years within social care, I have never even witnessed a bespoke programme that comes close to Elements, it’s rewards will live with children well into adulthood and filter down into generations to come.
It’s impossible to teach authenticity and passion, Steven manages to use his experience to bring an unparalleled level of passion to his work, added to his genuine authenticity and desire to learn and grow with these children, he’s an unbelievable resource to any educational environment.
I have worked alongside Steven (Russell) when he has been chairing meetings as part of his role as family support worker for M.
He has the ability to build a relationship both with the young person and their parent/carer to help support them through their difficulties offering strategies and guidance in an empathic, non judgmental manner.
We have also worked within the same schools in their Multi Agency Centers (MAC). I have seen students who have worked with Steven as their family support worker and they all really valued the work he did with them.
He is a very positive, caring person who is passionate about the wellbeing of young people, wanting them to become the best they can.
I have known Steven for over ten years, initially in the capacity of his line manager to present day valued friend. Steven has overcome his own adversities growing up in the care system to turn full circle now supporting children and families with their own journeys.
Steven began his career in the residential sector where his enthusiasm, passion and creativity quickly became apparent. Combining these raw elements with training and knowledge Steven progressed to Senior Residential Support Worker before eventually attaining a Deputy Manager role. Eager to progress and expand his range of skills Steven moved to an educational and family support setting incorporating a person-centered counselling role.
I have no doubt that Steven possesses the attributes to make a positive impact on the people that he works with. His infectious personality and empathy helps children to naturally bond, trust and importantly feel safe allowing crucial work to be accomplished.
I would recommend Steven Russell without reservation to any school or setting seeking to support students facing issues – from attendance through to drug/alcohol through to family breakdown and neglect and abuse, and everything in between.
Steven combines empathy with integrity and is always willing to go the extra mile to help children and to help us as fellow professionals. Thus, he has become fully part of our community, as he is sensitive to our pressures, not just those of students.
His skill comes from his natural ability to build relationships with young people, and his highly-skilled listening. Children trust him and will engage with him because they recognise someone who genuinely cares, and a man who will not let them down. However, this does not mean that he will not challenge them to change and improve, and to become responsible for their own lives and future.
Steven has worked with a number of our families and individual children through his family support programme and therapeutic work.
By the end of the programmes there has been a noticeable improvement in children’s mental health and ability to access lessons.
The children he has worked with look forward to his visits and they quickly build up trust with Steven.
I would highly recommend any school to use funding to support their Looked after Children as well as those who are struggling within attachment, anxiety or low self-esteem. Although outcomes of emotional health are hard to measure the impact of his work on children’s ability to access learning and attend lessons has been phenomenal.
Parents have also commented on how supportive his work has been for the parents and children.