Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 February 2023
226. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the increase in bullying in schools; if more resources can be made available to schools to provide counselling services for students seeking help; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9365/23]
View answerI am aware that the prevalence of specific types of bullying such as cyberbullying has increased in recent years. I launched Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying my Department’s whole education approach to preventing and addressing bullying in schools on 1st December 2022. This landmark new Action Plan is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racism, gender identity bullying or sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools.
Cineáltas was developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with a diverse and dedicated Steering Committee led by Dr. Noel Purdy of Stranmillis University College in Belfast. Cineáltas is informed by the views of children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners and individual members of the public and succeeds in placing the students at the very heart of the plan.
The development of Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying has been informed by an extensive consultation process:
- Over 50 presentations were made to the steering committee
- Over 4,600 responses were received to the public consultation questionnaire
- 78 submissions were received to the public request for submissions
- 41 school staff and board of management members participated in school focus groups
- 170 children and young people were consulted including children with special educational needs, Traveller and Roma children, children from Ukraine and refugees.
Under the relationships and partnerships key area within Cineáltas, my Department has committed to piloting a programme of counselling supports for primary schools. I announced in the Budget that €5 million will be invested in piloting this programme. This will serve to support the very positive work which already takes place in the area of well-being in our schools. The details of the programme are currently being finalised.
Other areas in Cineáltas that strengthen the provision of mental health supports in this area includes:
- working closely with the Department of Health to explore ways to improve well-being and mental health supports for children and young people, including raising awareness, promoting help seeking behaviour and signposting of available services
- increasing the number of National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) Psychologists available within the school sector and take proactive measures to promote the study of educational psychology
- developing guidance for the establishment of a student support team model in larger primary schools
An implementation plan for these actions and the other actions contained within Cineáltas is currently being developed by my Department and an implementation and evaluation group will be established.
The implementation of the 61 actions in this Action Plan will greatly enhance and compliment the work that schools already do to ensure that all the children and young people are kept safe from harm and that the well-being of children and young people is at the forefront of everything we do.
My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is a need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
The Department of Education plays an important role in supporting the well-being and mental health of our young people. The Department’s Well-being Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting well-being in education. The approach set out in the Well-being Policy is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies, experience supportive relationships within the school setting and be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe.
Aligned with this policy, a number of supports are currently being offered to schools to support well-being and mental health.
