Parents fear school counsellor cutbacks

NORTHSIDE parents who are concerned about increasing suicide rates have mounted a campaign to persuade the Government to reconsider cuts to guidance counsellor supports.

Members of the Colaíste Pobail Setanta Parents’ Association in Phibblestown, Dublin 15, brought their campaign to the gates of the Dáil last week where they hand-delivered 900 postcards opposing the Minister for Education’s decision to reduce the provision of guidance counsellor allocations in second-level schools.

The concerned parents stepped up their campaign following the tragic death of 12-year-old schoolgirl Lara Burns from Kildare who died on Saturday, November 24.

According to Noreen Maher, chairperson of the parents’ association, vulnerable children could slip through the net because the school’s guidance counsellor cannot serve the demand of the 580 students on part-time hours.

The parents’ association claim some students have already been referred to the suicide and self-harm crisis centre at Pieta House.

“We are very concerned that our school could be the next one dealing with the tragic and preventable death of a young child,

? Ms Maher told Northside People.

“Guidance counsellors are usually the first point of contact for children who are going through difficulties so it’s vital that they can be there to provide support and to nip a situation in the bud.

“Students have to contend with so many issues from schoolyard bullying to cyber-bullying; issues at home with maybe their parents being out of work and struggling to cope financially; not to mention the pressure of what subjects and courses to chose to map out their future.

“All of these pressures manifest in the students in their school days.

?

The Dublin 15 secondary school has grown rapidly from 44 students when it opened in 2008 to its current school population of 580.

“We have an extremely capable and popular guidance counsellor who has been with us from the start,

? Ms Maher explained.

“She also teaches two mainstream classes so the demand on her time as a guidance counsellor is stretched to the limit.

?

In common with all other schools, Colaíste Pobail Setanta had its allocation for guidance counselling cut as part of budget savings.

More than 700 second-level schools in the State are allocated guidance counsellors under a quota system. But the budget cuts mean there is no longer a specific allocation for guidance counselling in many schools.

As a result many guidance counsellors have been instructed to return to the classroom as regular subject teachers.

Local TD Patrick Nulty met with members of Colaíste Pobail Setanta Parents’ Association at the Dáil last week to show his support for their campaign.

“I was very proud and happy to support these parents who I believe showed great enthusiasm and determination to campaign on behalf of their children and their school.

“We all know mental health is a big challenge and that guidance counselling can be a very important foundation for students. This is why it’s vital that guidance counsellors are also able to provide more support through an increased allocation of hours.

?

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said that while it realises the challenges schools face, the teacher allocation for 2012/13 have been

“effectively settled at this stage

?

“Schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students,

? the spokesperson told Northside People.

“Decisions on how this is done are taken at school level and the Department is confident that schools will act in the best interest of students when determining precisely how to use the teaching resources available to them.

“It is established policy that guidance is a whole school activity and under existing arrangements each school develops a school guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of its students.

“While a school’s guidance planning should involve the guidance counsellor(s) in the first instance, other members of school staff and management also have key roles to play.

“Parents and students must be seen as an essential part of the process.

?

The spokesperson detailed a number of ways in which students can be provided with support and information from using websites such as Qualifax and Career Portal to

“maximising the role of the pastoral care team in schools

?.

It was also noted how psychologists from the Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) also provide supports to schools.

“The department is also aiming to launch guidelines on mental health for post-primary schools later this year,

? the spokesperson added.

“These guidelines aim to support schools in developing a whole-school approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention and are of relevance to all members of the school community. In particular, they have been developed to support principals, guidance counsellors, student support teams and teachers.

?