Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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278. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Government will accept calls by an organisation (details supplied) for a wider availability of age-appropriate supports through the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47316/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the calls for the provision of counselling services in schools. My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

In addition to this work NEPS provides national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students. NEPS provides the following supports to schools:

- NEPS has developed training for school staff on the promotion of well-being and resilience in schools which include upskilling school staff on the use and implementation of therapeutically-informed approaches in schools. These include trauma-informed approaches, approaches based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and attachment-aware approaches. The approaches outlined in the training are based on research findings, on the experience of experts in their fields and on the experience of practising psychologists working in schools. The training will build the capability of school staff in both primary and post-primary settings, including for school leaders, teachers and SNAs.

- NEPS) will shortly resume the provision of training for school staff on the Friends for Life programmes to help reduce anxiety in children and also the Incredible Years Classroom Management System. Priority will be given to schools new to DEIS.

- NEPS has launched an eLearning course - Responding to Critical Incidents in Schools. This course is aimed specifically at the school’s Critical Incident Management Team, but open to all interested staff.

- NEPS has developed a number of resources to support the well-being of children and young people from Ukraine enrolling in schools in Ireland. This includes:

Revised Guidance for primary and post – primary schools in relation to supporting the well-being of children/young people from Ukraine at this time. This includes support for students with special educational needs.

Guidance for Parents and Carers from Ukraine on Supporting the Well-being of their Children

A model of Psychological First Aid (PFA) to help teachers support students. The document is called Look, Listen & Link.

NEPS has also delivered a series of well-being webinars via the Education Support Centres of Ireland, to further support schools.