Youth Mental Health and Guidance Services in Secondary Schools: Motion [Private Members]
Seanad Éireann — 2023-06-21
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

Although we will support the motion, it misses some crucial aspects. I thank Senator Garvey's office for engaging with us but, unfortunately, we realised too late that amendments we had tabled could not be accepted, which meant we ended up missing the amendment deadline. I might, therefore, put on record some of the issues relating to guidance counsellors. I echo the comments of other Senators regarding the important role they play. It is so important, when we consider their role, that we take into account their specialty training in the case of the small cohort who are not career guidance counsellors but are guidance counsellors nonetheless given the specialist training they have undergone, rather than being just a teacher who has taken on the role but who has trained specifically as a guidance counsellor. From recent engagements I have had with representatives of the sector, it is clear formal guidance counselling services are significantly under-resourced despite an ever-increasing demand for the service.
There is also an issue in respect of guidance counsellors who have undertaken specialist training but who possess undergraduate degrees in subjects not on the curriculum in second-level schools. It is my understanding a significant cohort of suitably qualified guidance counsellors are struggling to secure continuous work because they do not have a teaching qualification or because their field of undergraduate study is not found on our school curriculum. Research undertaken by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors has demonstrated that in almost one quarter of secondary schools, or 22.4% in the 2018-19 year, guidance counselling is delivered in part or in whole by non-qualified personnel. It should be a priority for our second-level students to receive guidance counselling from suitably qualified guidance counsellors as opposed to receiving support from a qualified teacher who does not possess guidance counselling expertise.
I understand the Department's position is that guidance counsellors in secondary schools are required to have both a suitable teaching qualification and specialist expertise in guidance counselling but it is evident from the research I cited that this does not occur in every school. Given this, and the growing demand for this service especially when we consider some of the delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, band schools and the complex needs a guidance counsellor may encounter, there is perhaps scope for guidance counselling to be recognised in and of itself as a suitable qualification for the provision of specialist guidance counselling services in secondary schools.
Currently, those who are specially trained as guidance counsellors and have been employed do not have pay parity with their colleagues who are both teaching and providing guidance counselling. Aside from the potential benefit to secondary school communities, the terms of employment of guidance counsellors merits additional consideration. I understand that under the current regime, qualified guidance counsellors who do not have a suitable teaching qualification, in the majority of cases, remain on the first point of the relevant pay scale or are given an unqualified rate of pay. This invariably affects their career progression and retention of what is a highly valuable asset to secondary school students. One possible solution is for the Department to look at the current education and training board, ETB, guidance counsellor scale, which allows movement. Perhaps it could be replicated at second level. The Minister, Deputy Foley, met representatives from the concerned sector in 2020 regarding this issue and, in more recent times, officials have met representatives of the sector. Is there any update on steps that have been taken to address the matter in the interim? In addition, I would welcome an update on any actions taken or proposed by the Department to improve the resourcing of this essential service in secondary schools.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2023-06-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-06-21