Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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575. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department intends to provide additional counselling supports to schools, given the increase in young person's experiencing difficulties with mental health and other issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54817/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education plays an important role in supporting the well-being and mental health of our young people. The Department’s Well-being Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting well-being in education. The approach set out in the Well-being Policy is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies, experience supportive relationships within the school setting and be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe.

Aligned with this policy, a number of supports are currently being offered to schools to support well-being and mental health.

- Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of well-being and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs. To support schools in this work the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is currently providing training to schools to ensure that the promotion of well-being will be at the core of the ethos of every school. Schools will be navigated through an introduction to the Well-being Framework and how to use the School Self Evaluation (SSE) process in guiding well-being promotion in their schools. These seminars will be supported by two webinars and in-school visits.

- At post primary level, counselling is a key part of the role of the Guidance Counsellor, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process, at moments of personal crisis but also at key transition points. The Guidance Counsellor also identifies and supports the referral of students to external counselling agencies and professionals, as required. Each post primary school currently receives an allocation in respect of guidance provision, calculated by reference to the approved enrolment.

- Following the publication by the National Education Psychological Service (NEPS) of guidance for post primary schools on establishing a student support team or reviewing an existing team, psychologists are currently facilitating post-primary schools to improve the Student Support Team process. Student Support Teams are the structure through which key well-being and well-being-related policies are implemented in post-primary 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.

The programmes and initiatives set out above are in addition to the educational psychological support that NEPS provide 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 individual pupil casework where there is need. NEPS works closely with the HSE and its agencies to ensure those who may require the provision of therapy or counselling are referred on to the appropriate clinical services for intervention and support.

I announced in the budget, an additional 54 educational psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes as part of budget 2023. I also announced in the budget that €5 million will be invested in piloting a programme of counselling supports for primary school students. This will serve to support the very positive work which already takes place in the area of well-being in our schools. The details of the programme are currently being finalised.

The Department of Health and the HSE provide child and adolescent mental health services through the HSE Primary Care Psychology Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).