Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, guidance provision in Ireland spans many sectors. In 2022, I established the National Policy Group on Lifelong Guidance to develop a coherent long-term strategic framework for guidance. A public consultation on lifelong guidance was held by my Department and a report on the consultation was published in August 2023. This consultation together with research carried out by my officials informed the development of the Strategic National Framework for Lifelong Guidance and accompanying Strategic Action Plan (2024-2030) which were published in December 2023. Four strategic pillars underpin the vision for lifelong guidance into the future:

- Visibility and awareness of services and information provision

- Standards and quality throughout the system

-Access, inclusion and universal design

-Career-management skills and lifelong career mobility.

The publication of these documents marked a significant milestone for advancing lifelong guidance in Ireland.

In relation to guidance at post-primary level specifically, significant progress has been made. Indeed, the Strategic Action Plan for Lifelong Guidance includes a large number of actions pertaining to post primary, within a lifelong context. For example, an information portal is being developed to enhance access to key-information including labour market data.

A Guidance Unit, led by a fully-qualified and experienced guidance counsellor was established in my Department in 2022. This new Unit is actively progressing, supporting and strengthening all aspects relating to guidance policy in post-primary schools.

I also established a Guidance Team in Oide to strengthen guidance support and professional learning for guidance counsellors in schools. The Guidance Unit in my Department works closely with the Oide team and together they ensure the needs of guidance counsellors, students and parents are addressed effectively.

The specialised role of the guidance counsellor is pivotal in the whole school guidance context. In the past 12 months, the Guidance Unit in my Department published a number of information notes providing clarification on a number of issues for guidance counsellors. This includes the standards associated with the guidance role and practical examples of what high-quality whole school guidance might look like in practice. In addition, the Guidance Unit is actively exploring mechanisms of increasing guidance counsellor supply, as committed to within the Strategic Action Plan.

A model of whole school guidance operates in our post-primary schools and progress has been made under all four pillars in the Framework allowing guidance to evolve. Five information notes have been published in the last year to this end and the Guidance Unit ensures Whole School Guidance and the work of guidance counsellors is aligned with policy development more generally at post-primary level including in areas such as well-being, senior cycle redevelopment and student support teams. The Strategic Action Plan for Lifelong Guidance includes an action which commits my Department to consider the effectiveness of the guidance-allocation model in post primary schools with a view to strengthening the quality of guidance and guidance counselling services. This action will be undertaken in the short-term.

The Guidance Unit is in regular communication with stakeholders such as the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and the management bodies with whom we collaborate to support and strengthen guidance counselling in post-primary schools. As the strategic actions outlined as part of the National Strategic Framework continue to be implemented over the short, medium and long-term, stakeholders will continue to see and experience significant progress in this area.