What is a school counsellor and how can they help my child?

Whilst at primary or secondary school, your child may have been referred to a school counsellor.

That referral may have come from their form teacher, a pastoral care teacher, or sometimes from the child themselves. To help you understand the role of a school counsellor, and how they may help your child, we spoke to school counsellor Catherine Mantack…

What is a school counsellor?

Some – but not all – schools have a counsellor who is a qualified professional employed by schools to work with pupils who are experiencing issues that are impacting their emotional or psychological wellbeing. School counsellors provide a safe space for pupils to discuss any experiences or challenges in their life. Most counselling is offered one-to-one, and is confidential. Counselling is distinct from pastoral care and the role of the SENCO within the school setting.

What can a counsellor do to help my child?

A school counsellor can help your child understand their feelings, and teach them healthy coping skills to deal with emotional challenges such as stress and anxiety. They can also work on improving your child’s self esteem and self confidence. During moments of crisis or distress, a school counsellor can provide much-needed intervention and emotional guidance. A school counsellor can also help identify additional needs or barriers to learning, and work with teachers to put appropriate support in place.

Counselling can also help:
• Children who are experiencing bullying or bereavement • Support young people experiencing relationship difficulties with family or friends • Help young people manage anger and other strong emotions • Assess whether SEN support is also needed

Should I be worried if a school counsellor is involved?

Catherine Mantack says that as a parent or carer it’s natural to be worried but to try and see support from a school counsellor as a positive step. If your child has accepted support from a counsellor then they’ve acknowledged there’s an issue they’re not able to tackle alone, which shows great strength and courage.

A school counsellor will want to work in tandem with your child’s teachers and you as parents or guardians to support your child in the best way possible.

There are helplines, textlines and online services available that you and your child can look at together:

• The Mix – offers support to anyone under 25
• Youth Wellbeing Directory – can help families locate local support services
• Tellmi – a peer support forum for young people, which is moderated and anonymous
• BBC Mental Wellbeing content, the BBC Headroom campaign, and the BBC Action Line each have links to lots of helpful content and services.

Watch our film for guidance on what to do while waiting to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

The BBC has more information in this mental wellbeing collection as well as links to useful organisations on the BBC Action Line.

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