Speak up before it’s too late

1,300 guidance counsellors are currently working in Ireland.

On February 29, Minister Ruairi Quinn intends to remove the compulsory allocation for guidance counsellors in schools and colleges. Our profession which has 40 years’ service to the education system is about to be made extinct with one sweep of a pen.

It has become apparent, in meeting with fellow guidance counsellors, that our predicament could be attributed to the fact that not many people know or understand what we actually do in schools. I believe the minister himself has very little knowledge of what we do in schools. This is mainly due to the fact that most of our work is one-to-one, confidential and therefore anonymous. We tend to blend into the background to retain our status as a confidential service for students. We are caring professionals and not militant people or self-promoters and are perhaps seen as a soft touch when it comes to education cuts.

At the core of my own work is the prevention of early school leaving; support for students having difficulties while at school; and enabling them to imagine and plan for the future. I work in a very disadvantaged area and the creation of opportunities for my students through university access schemes and industry initiatives is crucial.

I also spend a large chunk of my time meeting students one-to-one to take them through application processes, explaining and guiding them towards the choices that are right for them and making sure they have all the information and supports they are entitled to.

Let me ask parents, if this proposal goes unchallenged, who will give your children the correct information and guide them through the processes necessary to access the course and college they want the most? Who will help your child return to school if they are ever bereaved? Who will help your child if they ever have an eating disorder, self-harm or other behavioural challenge? Who will get your child the supports they need if they have special educational needs or financial needs?

Guidance and counselling is a free service that is about to be eliminated from your child’s education. I ask parents to speak out before it is too late.

Pamela O’Leary

Guidance Counsellor

Montenotte Road

Cork