Schools: Counselling
(asked on 25th June 2019) - View Source
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Research and analysis entitled, Supporting mental health in schools and colleges conducted by his Department, what steps the Government has taken to increase the provision of counselling services in schools.
The Department recognises that school-based counselling by well-qualified practitioners can play an effective role as part of a ‘whole school’ approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing. The ‘Supporting mental health in schools and colleges’ research indicated that 61% of schools offer counselling services, with 84% of secondary schools providing their pupils with access to counselling support.[1]
It is for schools to decide what support to provide to their pupils, including how to draw on counselling provision made locally, for instance by local authorities and the voluntary and community sector. To help more schools to do so effectively, the Government has published advice on how to deliver high quality school-based counselling.
The Government is also introducing the new mental health support teams linked to groups of schools and colleges to provide additional mental health support for pupils with mild or moderate issues. The first 59 teams are being set up in 25 areas of the country and will be fully operational at the end of this year. The aim is for these teams to work together with existing provision, including school-based counselling. The Government will evaluate their introduction to ensure that they do not displace existing provision.