Youth Counselling Service - Professionals...

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Guidance on Facilitating a Request for Counselling...

The Counselling Service supports the emotional health of young people thus underpinning academic achievement and facilitating the building and management of helpful relationships in the school environment. The Youth Counselling Service understands the dynamics within the school, the issues young people have, the dilemmas busy staff face and the concerns of parents/carers. At the heart of the service is one to one therapeutic counselling provided for young people, after liaison and consultation with staff.Counsellors will work with young people, together with their parents/carers, if there is a situation that needs this response.

Issues for staff to reflect on when considering facilitating a request for counselling...

- Is the young person's standard of work dropping dramatically?

- Is the young person becoming subdued or over excited; are there marked mood swings or behaviour that is 'out of character'?

- Is he/she becoming a school refuser?

- Is the young person involved in bullying others or is he/she a victim of bullying behaviour?

- Is the young person known or suspected to have been sexually, physically or emotionally abused?

- Are there difficulties due to family breakdown?

- Is the young person struggling with peer group difficulties/relationships?

- Has he/she been bereaved or suffered loss or separation?

- Are there indicators of low self esteem?

- Is the young person demonstrating self harming behaviours e.g. cutting.

- Is the young person involved/potentially involved in the misuse of alcohol and drugs?

Some Key Questions:

- How extreme is the behaviour or attitude?
- How persistent is it?
- How sudden is the change?
- Is there a contrast between the way a young person behaves at home and behaviour at school?
- How is the behaviour affecting other members of the school community?

If you are unsure whether to facilitate a request for counselling it may be helpful to discuss concerns with the counsellor, in order to clarify the most appropriate way forward.

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