School Counselling – Information for Parents and Carers

What is Counselling? 

The opportunity to talk about things that are of concern to a child or young person, in confidence, with a qualified counsellor. What is spoken about will depend on the individual, but common themes are anxiety, low mood, stress, relationships, change, loss, and traumatic events.

What does a Counsellor do? 

Counsellors are trained to listen without judging and to help people sort out their thoughts and feelings about whatever is concerning them.

Who are the Counsellors? 

Counsellors are professionally qualified who have experience working with children and young people.

Why have a Counsellor in school? 

A school based service brings counselling to children and young people in a place that is familiar, safe and secure. If children and young people are able to receive emotional support from a qualified professional they will have greater opportunity to fulfil their potential.

How long will counselling last? 

Counselling may be for a few sessions, or longer term. It is reviewed regularly between counsellor and child or young person.

Where and when does it take place? 

Usually, a small, private room is made available in your child’s school during the day. Sessions last up to fifty minutes (depending on the circumstances), and appointment times can be varied so that time is not lost from any one subject.

Is it confidential? 

A key feature of our service is that information discussed in the counselling session is treated confidentially. Counselling is a time when it’s OK to talk about concerns without fear of them being discussed elsewhere. This includes not discussing the work with parents, unless the child or young person requests or gives consent for this. This can be hard for parents to accept at times, but ensuring the confidentiality of the work is crucial for establishing trust so that the children and young people feel confident to speak openly and freely about what is concerning them.

However, if a pupil appears to be at risk of significant harm it may be appropriate to seek help from other agencies to keep them safe. The counsellor would aim to discuss this first with the pupil concerned.

All counsellors receive supervision of their work with young people, to ensure the quality of their practice, and this is confidential.

What if I don’t want my child to receive counselling? 

Parental consent is required for anyone under 13 wishing to access counselling. If a child or young person aged 13 years or above, requests counselling and is able to understand what is involved in the process, then they have the right to access counselling. Parents and carers may not deny them this right. We would, however, prefer that we have your support for the work, and we are always happy to talk with you about any concerns that you may have about the idea of counselling.

What if s/he refuses to have Counselling? 

The decision about whether or not to take up the offer of counselling is entirely voluntary for children and young people, just as it would be for an adult.

Can I support the Counselling work? 

Yes, and we welcome this. Our experience shows that the most helpful thing a parent can do is to show an acceptance of counselling as a normal and useful activity, and to show an interest if their son/daughter wishes to talk about it, but not to press them if they don’t. We acknowledge that this isn’t an easy task, and it is quite natural for parents to feel anxious about what may be being said in the sessions. It is always our hope that talking with a counsellor will lead to greater openness with parents and families. However, you will need to allow a little time for this to happen.

If my child wants to see a Counsellor does that mean I am failing as a parent? 

Absolutely not! We all experience occasions when it feels hard to speak to those closest to us about things which are bothering us. Often this can be because we don’t want to worry those we love best, or because we want help thinking things through with someone else outside of the family. The Counsellor will not be judging you or your child, but looking to help them find their way through whatever is troubling them.

How are referrals made to the Counselling Service?

Referrals may be made through the school’s pastoral system, or your child’s head of year, the request may come from you, or your child who can self-refer.

Data Protection Procedures and Evaluation 

All information about counselling work undertaken by our staff is kept securely by the Counselling Service in line with current data protection regulations. After the counselling has finished, your child will be given an evaluation form that they can complete anonymously and return. To evaluate how the counselling is going, the project will look at other aspects too, such as attendance etc. This lets us know how well we are helping the children and young people that we see.

If there is any cause for complaint, you or your child are welcome to contact the Counsellor or the Counselling in Schools Team Leader, who will aim to resolve any issues of concern.  If after reading this information, you have any more questions please contact us. If you want any further information you can ask to speak with the counsellor.

Here are some comments made by pupils who have been to  counselling, which helps us understand how young people benefit 

“Having counselling has helped me a lot. I have been able to discuss my problems instead of locking them away, which is what I used to do. It has been a very big help to me.”

“It helped me to understand my problems and to overcome them.”

“It really helped me to talk more to my family and people around me that I could talk to.”

“The counselling has helped me to feel confident in myself.”

“I don’t feel ashamed to admit that I need help because now I know that I am not the only one that needs help.”