A chara, – As a retired school principal who was lucky enough to have access to school-based counselling for the primary school children under our care, I concur fully with the eminent psychological, psychotherapy and school leaders (Letters, June 28th) in their demands.
My former school was lucky enough to be a member school of the School Completion Programme in Kilkenny. As part of that service, we had constant, if sometimes limited, access to in-school counsellors.
These caring and discrete professionals provided counselling support to children who had suffered trauma as a result of family bereavements (including suicide and other tragic deaths), parental separations, school refusal, panic and anxiety challenges and other serious issues.
The opportunity for children to quietly leave their classrooms and to receive these supports in school removed the trauma of visiting dedicated centres after or during school times and meant that many children entered counselling without the cost or considerable inconvenience caused to themselves and their families.
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Put simply, it invariably worked and improved children’s chances of recovery, albeit sometimes as part of a lengthy process.
I would join the writers in calling on Minister for Education Foley to support the introduction of this system across all primary and post-primary schools. It would be money well spent. – Is mise,
Cllr SEÁN Ó hARGÁIN,
(Labour)
Greenshill,
Kilkenny.
