Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:156. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education her plans in place to offer a counselling structure for students after they receive their leaving certificate results. [4837/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 28 January 2021
Ceisteanna (156)
Freagraí scríofa
Schools have always provided an important role in offering guidance and support to Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied students on results day. Guidance counsellors support students throughout 5th and 6th year in schools in relation to further and higher education options. In recognising the unique set of circumstances for the Leaving Certificate class of 2020 who receivedcalculated grades, schools were asked to put a number of measures in place to support students on the day of the issuing of calculated grades results in September 2020 and in the following number of days.
In addition, each year a Leaving Certificate student helpline, provided by the National Parents Council Post-Primary with the support of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and my Department, has been made available on results days and provides advice to students and parents regarding the examination results. The helpline is staffed by qualified guidance counsellors.
The helpline will again be operated next Tuesday, 2 February, when students who sat the postponed Leaving Certificate written examinations held in November and December 2020 will receive their results.
The helpline, at 1800 265 165, will be open from 14.00 on Tuesday 2 February, when the results are issued, until Friday evening 5 February.
Planning for Leaving Certificate 2021 is also underway and theissue of supports for students receiving their results forms a part of this planning.
In addition to the above supports my Department has also published a range of support documentation on www.gov.ie/backtoschool, including information on wellbeing supports for Leaving Certificate students. This includes a series of supports on managing wellbeing, coping with uncertainty and managing stress and anxiety, developed by the National Educational Psychological Service to support students. The webpage also containslinks to more individualised supportsfor students to access, should these be needed. MyDepartment worked with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure the most appropriate services and resources are clearly signposted for students. E-mental health services are also madeavailable by the HSE and their funded service providers, including the Jigsaw Support Line and the support provided by spunout.ie.