The aim of the guidance and counselling programme is to ensure that our students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their academic, personal and social development and supporting them in making educational and career choices in accordance with the Education Act (1998).

A professional relationship involving confidentiality is at the core of the schools counselling service. The guidance counsellor does not act in a disciplinary capacity and this frees her to deal with students at a more personal level.

Common issues include:

• Self-esteem building
• Anger management control
• Family bereavement or illness
• Friendship issues

The guidance counsellor often refers students, with the consent of parents, to outside agencies for more intensive and focused therapy. Issues such as depression, suicide ideation, self-harm and eating disorders all need outside professional intervention. The guidance counsellor offers counselling support to the student before and after the referral but not while the outside intervention is taking place.

Most counselling appointments are made by the students themselves but sometimes they are referred by a parent or teacher.
There are a number of ways that a student can seek counselling:

1. The student can request counselling in person by calling into the guidance counsellor’s office.
2. A parent or guardian may contact the guidance counsellor to make an appointment for the student.
3. The student can leave a note under the door of the guidance counsellor’s office stating name and class where by the guidance counsellor will set up an appointment.
4. The student may speak in confidence to her tutor/subject teacher or Year Head about a problem. If it is considered that counselling would be of benefit the tutor/teacher/Year Head could:
   1. Come directly to the counsellor to arrange an appointment for the student concerned
   2. And/or encourage the student to make an appointment in person