TQEA School Counselling Service: Years 7-11
At TQEA we seek to meet the needs of the whole person. Our aim is to respond and recognise the talents of every student and provide the most appropriate means of developing their potential. We are mindful that some students from time to time may need additional support and would benefit from having the opportunity to work through some of their difficulties.
TQEA builds the capacity to offer a counselling service for all students between Years 7 and 11. This is provided by a qualified and experienced counsellor who belongs to a professional body. The counsellor is available throughout term time to help manage the psychological and emotional well-being of all students at TQEA.
The school’s counselling service is designed to complement the pastoral system which is acknowledged as one of the strengths of the school.
What is counselling and how may it help?
Counselling and Psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring effective change or enhance their well- being.
The counselling offered adheres to the School-Based Counselling (2023) Guidance – BACP.
- It can help us to understand our relationships better and improve them It can help us to increase our level of self- awareness
- It can help us to explore our feelings, and understand and manage them better It can help us to recognise unhelpful thought patterns and adopt new ones
- It can help us to recognise the past and current behaviours which we do not want to take in to the future
- It can help us to improve our communication skills
- It offers a place to reflect upon oneself and our relationship with the world
Young people face many challenges whilst growing up, and may find at times that they need someone to talk to external to either home or school. Counselling is a process which offers support and guidance when things feel particularly difficult. The counsellor will provide a safe and confidential space for a young person to explore thoughts and feelings which perhaps are overwhelming and upsetting, in a drive to enable change.
Issues young people may be struggling with:
- Peer pressure Academic pressure
- Parental divorce or separation Bullying
- Drugs and /or alcohol Sexual health
- Arrival of new sibling Low mood
- Anxiety Exam stress Bereavement Confusion
- Self- harm Eating disorders
Referrals
All referrals for counselling would come via the Heads of Year, the SENCo or SLT.
All referrals from members of staff will have to provide a referral form for the counsellor before an appointment is made. This acts as a primary link to understanding the issues that the young person is facing and provides some useful background information.
If it is deemed that school counselling is the most appropriate course of support, students will be introduced to the school counsellor following the referral and, if the capacity exists, advised that drop in sessions are available until the initial appointment can be made. Appointments will be allocated in order of priority.
The young person may have needs that are not appropriate for counselling and require alternative intervention by specialist Psychiatric services to whom young people and their families can be referred to from school. The counsellor can assist in signposting to other relevant services.
Counselling Sessions
The counselling sessions will be offered on a weekly or fortnightly basis for approximately 6-12 weeks, though this can vary according to need and circumstances. The actual session will last for approximately 50 minutes and the appointment times are varied so that the same subject is not missed each week. Students are seen in the counsellor’s room so as to provide continuity and facilitate a safe, containing, therapeutic space in which individual difficulties can be explored.
In the counselling sessions the student can discuss various aspects of their life and feelings, talking about them freely and openly in a way that is rarely possible with friends or family.
Bottled up feelings such as anger, anxiety, grief and embarrassment can become very intense and counselling offers an opportunity to explore them, with the possibility of making them easier to understand. The counsellor will encourage the expression of feelings and as a result of their training will be able to reflect the client’s problems without becoming burdened by them.
Due to the nature of counselling students are seen individually though some specific group work may be offered. Although they can be encouraged or recommendations can be made to attend, ultimately the young person must have the choice as counselling is voluntary.
What are Drop-In sessions?
Drop-In sessions are similar to counselling sessions, on a shorter time scale. These sessions are more targeted at specific issues or aspects of yourself you wish to bring due to the timeframe. You can access a safe, trusting and supportive space to work through what you might bring.
There is more focus around specifically meeting a goal for that session. This could be focused around:
- Being listened to
- Reflecting on a recent situation
- Current thoughts or worries
- Current emotions or struggles
- Physical health
- Exam or college stress/ anxiety
- Learning coping mechanisms
- Specific past experiences
- Relationships Supporting you to find ways of coping
- Self-esteem
The aim of a drop-in is to Support you to find ways of coping and managing Self-esteem, or considering practical solutions to issues you may face. It is best, but not necessary, to have an idea of what you want to gain from the session.
Confidentiality
All young people are entitled to confidentiality as outlined by the BACP (British Association of Counsellor and Psychotherapists) Code of Ethics. This means that the information they bring to the session will be held in confidence between themselves and the counsellor.
The counsellor will however state that they may need to break confidentiality should they deem the young person to be at significant risk to themselves or others.
At this point information may need to be shared with the designated safeguarding team, who would decide whether a referral would need to be made to an outside agency.
Confidential records are kept securely by the counsellor, separate from other information held by school on the student.
Counselling records consist of notes on sessions held with students with details of the issues discussed.
Gillick Competence
“As a general principle it is legal and acceptable for a young person to ask for confidential counselling without parental consent providing they are of sufficient understanding and intelligence.” (Gillick v West Norfolk AHA, House of Lords 1985)
Since this ruling all young people are entitled to confidential counselling. Gillick competence will be assessed by the counsellor in the first session with the young person and if deemed competent the young person will be able to give consent to counselling.
Assessment of competence based on the Gillick principle depends on:
- The maturity of the young person
- The young person having sufficient intelligence and understanding of the consequences of his or her actions
- The young person having sufficient intelligence and understanding to enable them to understand what is being proposed e. counselling.
- As a rule, most, secondary school students are deemed mature and intelligent enough to understand the counselling process, but there are occasionally those who are not. It is crucial at this point that parental consent is obtained. Every effort is made to engage parents and where appropriate, young people are encouraged to inform their parents that they are receiving counselling.
For any further information about the counselling service, please contact Mrs. Ressel (Assistant Headteacher – Safeguarding) who would be happy to help.
The counsellor in accordance with BACP guidelines receives regular clinical supervision which is accommodated and paid for by school.
The counsellor ensures that they undertake relevant CPD training and keeps up to date with counselling theory to ensure best practice.
