Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
282. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if the XEX status of guidance councillors will be restored in all secondary schools where their hours are based on the number of students in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31304/23]
View answer329. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will reduce the ratio of full-time guidance counsellors in order to increase the amount of guidance counsellors available to students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31305/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 329 together.
Guidance counselling in post primary schools is holistic and may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these. It is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis. It assists students to develop self-management skills, which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives.
Whole school guidance is the current model of guidance provided in post-primary schools, where each school forms a team to collaboratively design and develop a whole-school Guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of all students. Guidance counselling, provided by a qualified guidance counsellor, is one aspect of whole school guidance.
The 2012 budget measure reduced approximately 600 guidance posts from schools. This was an alternative measure that avoided a cut to mainstream subject posts at that time.
• Budget 2016 restored 300 posts
• Budget 2017 restored 100 posts
• Budget 2018 restored 100 posts
• The final 100 posts were a temporary measure in the COVID allocations in 2020/21 and 2021/22. These posts were restored on a permanent basis in 2022/23. Hence, all guidance posts have now been fully restored.
There are 928 guidance posts allocated to the post primary system for academic year 2023/24. The posts are allocated separately and transparently and outside of the quota on the schedule of posts. The annual Circular on staffing arrangements states clearly that these hours must be deployed to guidance activities including guidance counselling. The Circular also states that the autonomy rests with school management to run the school and deploy the guidance allocation appropriately in order to meet the guidance needs of students.
The Minister believes that the guidance has an important role to play in supporting students. In addition to full restoration of posts, steps taken to strengthen guidance provision include:
• Establishment of a Guidance unit within her Department to develop and co-ordinate guidance policy. Work to date includes leading the development of a draft Framework for Lifelong Guidance with a view to ensuring every person has access to high quality guidance within and beyond the education sector; developing guidance to support Guidance Counsellors in implementing their role and responsibilities; developing guidance to support Guidance provision at Junior Cycle level; reviewing provision of guidance in Special schools, working with other Departments and agencies and wider stakeholders to ensure effective guidance provision
• Establishment of a dedicated guidance advisor team as part of the Teacher Support Services to work directly with guidance counsellors in schools and support them in their work
Finally, in the context of their work in developing the Framework on Lifelong Guidance, the Minister has asked her officials to consider further steps to strengthen guidance provision, including reviewing the allocation model for guidance.
