Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
253. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education if there is any intention of improving access to guidance counselling in second level schools and colleges of further education as the current allocation of 573 students to one full-time guidance counsellor is insufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53719/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has allocated an equivalent of 928 guidance posts for the current school year 2023/24. Each school receives an allocation for guidance that is separate from the general allocation to schools. In this way, the hours for guidance are ring-fenced. The hours for guidance are subject to change each year as they are calculated with regard to student numbers in each school.
Measures announced by the Department as part of a number of budgets starting in 2016 fully restored the allocation of time allocated to guidance in schools from the initial reduction in budget 2012. Hence, the allocation for guidance has returned to that of pre-recession. However, the model of guidance provision in schools has evolved over the ten years in question. A model of whole school guidance applies in the contemporary post-primary system.
The whole school guidance allocation model allows for a balanced, school-wide approach to the three elements of guidance, personal/social, educational and career guidance. Guidance hours are allocated to personnel by school management in each school. In allocating guidance hours, school management consider a range of factors including but not limited to (i) the needs of students and (ii) the student support team in the school at large.
The 2023/24 circulars on staffing arrangements/ allocations, published in January 2023 provides the following text agreed with the School Management Bodies in relation to the assignment of ring-fenced Guidance Counselling hours. (Circulars 0002,0003 and 0004 of 2023)
“In deploying the guidance allocation, schools are encouraged to give due consideration to the pivotal role the qualified guidance counsellor plays in the implementation of the whole school guidance plan. The guidance counsellor will require time for individual student appointments, for Guidance lessons, and general guidance related work within the context of the Whole School Guidance plan”.
The Chief Inspector’s report (2022) notes that whole school guidance is provided to students through a variety of approaches. This report notes that whole-school guidance was of high quality, well-integrated and collaborative in supporting students and involved a wide range of staff with specific roles and functions. Other good practice in relation to whole-school provision included the establishment of very effective student support teams which facilitated an appropriate focus on student welfare and clear referral pathways, both internal and external. This would indicate that the current allocation model is effective in supporting the whole school approach to guidance provision.
The National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance and accompanying Action Plan (2023-2030) will be published shortly. Within these publications are a number of actions relating to post-primary guidance within the lifelong landscape. Implementation of the actions will progress shortly after publication. The Guidance Unit in my Department will continue to research and create policy to support guidance practice in post-primary schools.
My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to further improve the provision of guidance in schools.
