Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2019
150. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a regulation or statutory instrument recognising the title of guidance counsellors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20420/19]
View answerCoru is the government body responsible for the regulation of health and social care professionals in Ireland. Regulation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is managed through the protection of professional titles rather than by restricting practice. The Department of Health has proposed the designation of the professions ‘Counsellor’ and ‘Psychotherapist’, each to have its own register. The use of protected titles is restricted to those granted registration. This has raised the question of the status of the title of Guidance Counsellor and continued right to use that title in education and training settings.
The role of Guidance Counsellor in the education and training sector is a separate and distinct role to that of counsellor or psychotherapist. Guidance in schools refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives. It encompasses the three separate, but interlinked, areas of personal and social development, educational guidance and career guidance”. In an adult guidance context i.e. the AEGS, guidance is defined as facilitating people “…to manage their own educational, training, occupational, personal, social, and life choices so that they reach their full potential and contribute to the development of a better society”. These definitions capture the importance of the Guidance Counsellor’s role in supporting personal and social, educational and career development. They also highlight the role of guidance in facilitating decision-making and life choices and promoting wellbeing.
Counselling in schools may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these. Counselling occurs only within the guidance context to support the individual student or adult client in personal, social, educational and career development and where necessary at moments of personal crisis. Guidance Counsellors employed within the education and training sector are guided by the DES requirements to operate within their professional competence and boundaries and to make referrals to personal counselling and psychotherapy as and when appropriate.
I have no plans to introduce a regulation or statutory instrument recognising the title of Guidance Counsellor. Recognising the important role played by Guidance Counsellors in schools and other settings, my Department has made a submission to the Department of Health seeking a derogation of the title of Guidance Counsellor from regulation. This is the appropriate route to take towards protection of the title Guidance Counsellor for use in the education and training sector.
