James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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81. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent survey by Dublin City University's school of nursing and human sciences of primary school principals and counsellors dealing with children from four to 13 years of age. [29323/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The issue to which the Deputy refers arise from a recently published report commissioned by St Patrick’s Mental Health services.  The report includes an analysis of the findings from a survey of primary-school principals and interviews with twelve principals and nine counsellors, and makes certain recommendations.

While the report has not been formally submitted to my Department, it has been seen by relevant officials. 

From a preliminary consideration of the report, it does not appear to set out the context of the supports already provided by my Department to support schools in the promotion of wellbeing and the prevention of mental health difficulties.  The report highlights the importance of the promotion of emotional wellbeing in primary schools as a critical factor for both academic progression and school engagement.  My Department promotes a whole-school, preventative, multi-component approach to the promotion of wellbeing and positive mental health in schools.  It supports the provision of interventions at both the universal level, focusing on the entire school community, and targeted levels, focusing on building the skills of groups and individual young people with identified need.  My Department’s support services, including NEPS, help build school capacity in this regard.

NEPS psychologists do not generally provide therapeutic interventions as part of their work in schools.  Where they encounter cases, however, where specialist services are required for a student they provide support for the onward referral of those students.  In the coming weeks, I intend to publish my Department’s Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice.  This policy statement provides an overarching structure encompassing ongoing and developing work to further support schools in the area of wellbeing promotion.  Part of the implementation of that policy includes an action that the provision of therapeutic interventions to children will be examined within the context of the Youth Mental Health Pathfinder Project.  At present, the provision of counselling services to children falls within the province of the HSE and my colleague the Minister for Health.