What Do Counsellors Do?

Enhance students' mental, social & educational development

Assist with the development of an enabling school culture

Empower students toward positive change

School Counsellors Provide

Individual counsellingGroup counsellingClass work ~ teachingAdvocacy for students Increase awareness regarding mental health

issues/disordersSupport to teachers and parents

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Canada is a signatory, states that every child has:

the right to survivalthe right to develop to the fullestthe right to protection from harmful

influences, abuse and exploitation, and the right to participate fully in family,

cultural and social life.”

School Counsellors Foster the Rights of the Child

Current lifestyles & negative social situations create the need

for more school counselling

Unfortunately many students are in situations that:

Compromise their ability to develop to the fullest

Are exposed to harmful influences, abuse and exploitation, and

Are unable to participate fully in family, cultural and social life

This is just one reason why school counsellors are

needed in schools

Counsellors Help Students

Youth Mental Health

Is imperative for student success in school

Can effect the graduation rate

• 12% of youth seriously considered suicide •More than 1 in 5 females and 1 in 10 males had deliberately self harmed (cut or injured themselves) without the intention of committing suicide

•Relationship violence has not decreased since 2003

• 2% of students deal with pregnancy •Binge drinking is increasing

McCreary 2008 Report on Youth…

Concerning Canadian StatisticsYouth crime rates have risen 3%An estimated 788,000 children under 18 lived

in low-income families36,895 children and youth in Canada under

age 18 reported to police that they had been physically or sexually assaulted

9,954 divorces in BC in 2005

These have a negative impact on student well-being & success at school

Today’s social ills-violence, poverty, peer & family conflict & drug use-affect children & youth in schools

As a result many have emotional, social, & personal problems that significantly impair their ability to learn & to relate positively with others

It is estimated that 20% of children & adolescents in Canada have developmental, psychological, and/or mental health problems

Financial Considerations

School counselling programs are cost-effective, preventive medicine.

Unfortunately in a time of financial constraints, counselling positions are often the first targets of budget cuts & staff reductions

Counselling More Important in Tough Economic Conditions

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Out of the Shadows at LastKey Recommendations from Senator Kirby’s Report

What School Counsellors Could Do:

Seamless service delivery for children & youth

If counsellors had the time & resources, we could provide this seamless service

Interventions need to be in-schools

If we had more Masters trained school counsellors in our schools we could increase the number of interventions

Early intervention is important to limit negative impact of mental health on both the child & family

If elementary counsellors were based at only one school, this recommendation could be met

Now is the time to take actionMental health problems among children and

youth have increased in recent years and are predicted to increase by 50% by the year 2020.

Mental health problems inflict a huge social and economic burden on society. They deprive individuals of quality of life and happiness (missed educational, job and personal opportunities, broken relationships, stigma and discrimination).

Why Counselling is Worthwhile

Research demonstrates that school counselling services can:

Help to prevent violent & disruptive behaviour

Improve academic achievement & school

attendance

Prepare students for successful transition into

the world of work

Society & the government need to understand the importance of funding programs for prevention & early intervention that address students’ emotional, social, personal and learning problems.

Challenges Facing Counsellors

Not enough counselling timeLack of resourcesSeems like more and more students need

helpFinding time to connect with other

counsellorsTime restraintsLarge caseloads

What School Counsellors need in order to provide more efficient support to students and schoolsSmaller counsellor: student ratiosDecreased teaching responsibilities at the

high school level Time to meet with other counsellors within

school district for difficult case consultationsResources for elementary school counsellors

(designated office space, sand tables, puppets, art supplies etc) to assist with successful interventions

Why More Counselling Time is Imperative

So that I can be better

prepared for life

after high school

So I can learn strategies to improve my

mental health

So that I can learn how to deal with my

anxiety

So that I can learn how to deal

with my anger

So I have someone to talk to that I can trust & they will not judge

me

So that I can learn how to

learn & increase my self -esteem

Together we can make a difference