Article: Should all schools have a counselling service?

Mick Cooper is Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton. He's written a piece for TSR on new research into counselling services in schools.

"The question I’m asking is ‘should every secondary school have a counselling service?’ Previous research suggests pupils, parents and schools would find this really valuable.

"You can post in the comments to share your own experiences and say what you think. I would be really interested to know."

Read the full article here: Should all schools have a counselling service?

(edited 8 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

999tigger

They need someone that can be contacted in confidence and who is trained to deal with all sorts of issues. Some of them might not need counselling, but problems such as issues with teachers, bullying, dissatisfaction with school, home problems etc. Its ridiculous they havent had one for years.

Reply 2

Tanqueray91

I'm not sure if a full counselling service is necessarily necessary, however I would say there should be someone on site each day whom pupils can go to if they need to.

Then perhaps have specific links to trained counsellors/professionals whom can be used in more difficult cases. At my old school we had a counsellor who came in twice a week, and they also went to another school for 2 other days of the week. Something like that would be alright I would think.

Ultimately depends on the school, how many pupils, and how many pupils would need that service... If it's not many at all, then it could be costly for a couple of professionals to spend all week, every week not doing much, especially if a trained teacher could do the same for minor cases.

Reply 3

SMEGGGY

Original post by shooks

Surprised there isn't one already

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

Reue

No, schools are there to educate. We have doctors and hospitals for health.

Reply 5

Hanvyj

Original post by Reue

No, schools are there to educate. We have doctors and hospitals for health.

And children often have the capability, resources, and knowledge to take themselves to hospitals independently?

Reply 6

Reue

Original post by Hanvyj

And children often have the capability, resources, and knowledge to take themselves to hospitals independently?

Obviously not. Clearly they would be assisted there, just as they'd be assisted to the counselling services should schools implement one.

Reply 7

Hanvyj

Original post by Reue

Obviously not. Clearly they would be assisted there, just as they'd be assisted to the counselling services should schools implement one.

But kids go to schools every day, thus if counselling services were available in schools they'd be able to be assisted.

Putting counselling services (for children) only in hospitals etc means a lot of children just plain won't have access to them, so it's kind of pointless.

Thus schools should have counselling services available, or at least some mechanism for access to counselling services elsewhere.

Reply 8

ivybridge

Yes, we should. And in response to the previous poster - schools have a big part to play in mental health. Doctors are usually the last resort for mental health issues depending on how bad they are.

Reply 9

Reue

Original post by Hanvyj

I see no reason why a child who would be capable of walking into a school's counselling office would be equally unable to pickup the phone and arrange counselling out of the local hospital's department. The counsellor could even come to the school to meet them.

Think of the wastage of having all these school counsellors just sat around all day waiting for students to show up.

Plus I'm really not sure the demand is there, that money could be better spent elsewhere like focusing on providing counselling to young men for which there is an alarmingly high suicide rate.

Reply 10

Reue

Original post by ivybridge

schools have a big part to play in mental health. Doctors are usually the last resort for mental health issues depending on how bad they are.

Completely disagree. Teachers are not trained and should not be trying to diagnose or assist with mental health issue. This should be left to the properly trained and resourced experts which will be doctors/hospitals etc, not schools.

Reply 11

Hanvyj

Original post by Reue

I agree that it shouldn't be teachers, hence why there should be some trained and resourced expert in schools.

You already said that kids can't really get to hospitals... You're saying teachers shouldn't do it, and kids don't have easy access to hospitals. That leaves kids not getting assistance at all.

The only solution is making some kind of resource available to schools.

Reply 12

Reue

Original post by Hanvyj

No, that doesnt leave kids with no assitance at all :s

It just means that someone (Whether that be the student, parent, teacher or anyone else) can request assistance for the child from the correct authority as and when it's required.. just as they can now!

Reply 13

Hanvyj

Original post by Reue

I see no reason why a child who would be capable of walking into a school's counselling office would be equally unable to pickup the phone and arrange counselling out of the local hospital's department. The counsellor could even come to the school to meet them.

Think of the wastage of having all these school counselors just sat around all day waiting for students to show up.

Plus I'm really not sure the demand is there, that money could be better spent elsewhere like focusing on providing counselling to young men for which there is an alarmingly high suicide rate.

That sounds great (counselors coming to schools to meet them). You've just described counseling services being available to schools...

Counselling services don't have to mean full time staff just sitting there waiting for the 3 appointments a week. Could be that it's arranged for Councillors to cover a range of schools, and arrange meetings in different schools at different days depending or demand or a set schedule.

Which is making counseling services available in schools!

I doubt many kids aren't going to go ringing hospitals, especially younger ones that often won't have had any exposure to much medical stuff.

When I was 14/15 I made an appointment with the hospital without my parents knowing and took myself there on the bus etc and I found it pretty intimidating and difficult thing to do. I put it off for ages. If I was 12 or 13 I doubt I would have done it.

Kid comes to teacher with problem, it's beyond the teachers expertise and job to deal with that, they refer them to the school counseling service. "Oh, make an appointment with Mrs Councillor, they're Wednesday afternoons." Sorted!

Your original answer was:

No, schools are there to educate. We have doctors and hospitals for health.

Which doesn't seem to match up with what you are saying now.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 14

Reue

Original post by Hanvyj

That sounds great (counselors coming to schools to meet them). You've just described counseling services being available to schools...

Counselling has always be available to come out and meet patients, so this already exists.

Original post by Hanvyj

Your original answer was:
Which doesn't seem to match up with what you are saying now.

My answer was, and continues to be, that school staff and resources should focus on education.

The article seems to suggest providing additional resources specifically within schools. This is what I'm against.

Reply 15

Tootles

There should be optional counseling with a form tutor.

I would say that HE courses (and possibly FE too) should include group therapy sessions. I've been saying this since I was doing my degree, and most of my class agreed.

Reply 16

ivybridge

Original post by Reue

Who said teachers? Not me.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 17

Novascope

Original post by Reue

You do realise that some secondary school children are 11 and 12 years old. Why on earth should they have to take on that responsibility?

What a silly thing to say. There are MANY school children who have issues, whether they make it known or not. So no there wouldn't be a wastage and these counsellors wouldn't just be sat around all day waiting.

Pretty sure these young men are also in school too.

I can't possibly see why you have an issue with this.

Reply 18

Reue

Original post by Novascope

You do realise that some secondary school children are 11 and 12 years old. Why on earth should they have to take on that responsibility?

If they can do one, why not the other?

Original post by Novascope

What a silly thing to say. There are MANY school children who have issues, whether they make it known or not. So no there wouldn't be a wastage and these counsellors wouldn't just be sat around all day waiting.

Any source? Or is this purely assumption? How can you know they wouldnt be under-utilised? At least if they were working in a healthcare environment they could be doing other duties in any downtime between student patients.

Original post by Novascope

Pretty sure these young men are also in school too.