NEW guidance services are to be developed for groups such as adult learners, the disadvantaged and post Leaving Certificate students under an action plan announced by the Minister for Education.
Ms Breathnach said yesterday that she would establish a working group to develop the plan and make guidance counselling more widely available. She was speaking at the launch of a report drawn up by the National Centre for Guidance in Education.
This calls for schools to use their allocation of guidance counsellors only for this function. There has been concern that some schools are using counsellors partially for subject teaching.
The report, which is to be distributed to all second level schools, provides - for smaller schools to share the services of a guidance counsellor. In recognition of the changed role of the profession, it says, the Department of Education should use the term "guidance counsellor" in future, instead of "guidance teacher".
Ms Breathnach said that an additional 200 counsellors had been appointed to schools during her term of office. The guidelines provide for two counsellors in schools with 1,000 pupils and over, one in schools with 500-800 students, and a half time counsellor in those with 25-500 students.
The new measures were welcomed by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. The Teachers' Union of Ireland meanwhile called for the appointment of additional counsellors to ensure that every student has access to "this vital service".
