Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions her Department intends on taking in terms of restoring the ex-quota position for guidance counsellors in schools and improving the ratio of guidance counsellors to students across the board, in recognition of their role in dealing with student mental health issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24144/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In each post-primary school, a whole school guidance plan should distinguish between the competencies available within the school to support students (including personal/social support provided by the guidance counsellor). Guidance counsellors are indeed 'pivotal' with regard to student support in schools, as described in Circular 002/2023, Circular 003/2023 and Circular 004/2023. The guidance counsellor is key in developing and implementing innovative approaches to wellbeing promotion on a whole schools basis though the school's guidance plan.

Guidance counsellors work within a continuum of support model and are part of a whole school approach to supporting wellbeing in schools. Guidance counselling in post primary schools is holistic and may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these and is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis. Counselling within a guidance context is a key part of the role of the Guidance Counsellor. The guidance counsellor also provides a referral of students to external counselling agencies and professionals.

The whole school guidance plan should describe how the internal support structures and referrals to the student support team/external referral to the Health services and/or advising parents on the need to consider referral to a medical professional, are managed.

The request for an improvement in the ratio of guidance counsellors to students is a budgetary matter. A national consultation on a strategic framework for lifelong guidance was conducted in January and February 2023. This consultation yielded significant data with regard to guidance in post-primary schools which will assist evidence based decision making. Policy objectives and actions listed in the forthcoming strategic national framework will provide direction and clarity for future budgetary considerations in relation to post-primary guidance.