Commenting on the call by the Local Government Association
for school-based counselling to be available and properly funded
by Government, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General
Secretary of the National Education Union,
said:
"Schools definitely need more counsellors. Most secondary schools
need at least one full time counsellor to keep up with the
demands for their expert support and so we think the LGA
recommendation is a good step in that direction. We agree
with the LGA that more school-based counselling would be a
sensible step given the increased number of young people with
anxiety and mental health issues. Situating these services
for young people in schools makes sense. We think the Government
should be looking at a model whereby the services which young
people and their parents and carers needs can be accessed through
and in schools - and with funding planned accordingly.
'The waiting lists for mental health support are a real problem
and families who can afford to pay for faster support are doing
this out of desperation. Early intervention through school
counsellors to make young people feel supported at and via their
school is so important. Having on-site counsellors can prevent
other problems spiralling, such as attendance or anxiety
problems.
'Government needs to be seriously tackling the causes of the
increase in poor mental health for children and young people.
This includes looking at the education system as a whole and the
detrimental effects of a narrow curriculum. The SEND Review
and Behaviour and Exclusions updates provide an opportunity for
the Government to entrench well-being and good mental health
approaches at the heart of education and to prevent an imminent
crisis in the mental health of a generation of young people."
