School Counselling

Mentoring and Consultancy: setting up a School Counselling Service

Integrating a counselling service into an educational establishment is no mean feat. There is a lot to consider around the nuances of how each agency works especially how information sharing can work alongside each other’s ethical boundaries. It is a totally different discipline to bring into an educational setting which needs careful planning from someone who understands both cultures. 

I have worked in schools in various roles for almost 30 years, initially as a teacher and then for the Local Education Authority and more recently in the past 14 years as an accredited counsellor, and also as a supervisor to school counsellors. I understand the delicate balance between educational and mental health needs, pressures and demands and can therefore help you with:

• finding the right counsellor for your school
• understanding the various counselling professional bodies
• devising interview questions and job descriptions
• considering contracts and pay & conditions
• supervision arrangements
• issues of confidentiality and information sharing
• whether to have self or adult-led referrals
• who counsellors report to
• managing waiting lists whilst ensuring needs are met through essential open-ended work
• ongoing support, mentoring and mediation for school mental health lead and/or counsellor.

I offer a 20 minute free phone call to explore your needs.

Please contact me for information on the fee structure for various support options.

This consultancy project comes about from my years of lived experience in the sector with a desire to improve mental health of young people and supporting schools with their complex role in this, all whilst ensuring School Counsellors are robustly supported in what is often a solo position holding complex cases in a non-counselling environment.