Commenting as the House of Commons is scheduled to debate
the provision of school-based counselling services today, Paul
Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:
“Support for children and young people’s mental health and
wellbeing is more important now than ever after the impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting lockdowns, with record
numbers needing help.
“We know that schools value the vital support that in-school
counselling services can provide, however, this is another area
where schools have to use their own scant resources to fund
support services that are not provided for in their budgets.
“With school budgets hit hard by long-term government under
investment, and further impacted by Coronavirus costs, many
schools are having to make cuts. A recent NAHT survey
showed that almost a third (31%) of school leaders had to make
cuts to balance their budgets last year, with one head
specifically saying they had been forced to stop using the
Place2Be counselling
service in their school.
“Independent analysis
from Pro Bono Economics suggests that every pound invested in
counselling in primary school results in a £6.20 saving in the
future, as long-term educational, behavioural, mental health and
employment outcomes are improved. It is therefore only logical
that one of the best ways the government can help children and
young people, as well as saving money in the long term, is to
invest in counselling services – not just for secondary schools,
but for primaries too.”
