We’re working with the Welsh Government and some of our members in Wales to put together a toolkit for school-based counselling.
The document is a set of good practice guidelines for working effectively with young people in schools and community settings, from Year 6 upwards.
It's designed to ensure counsellors have the support they need for their roles and be a go-to manual for service providers, which are either based within schools or regularly go into schools to deliver counselling to young people.
It’s hoped it will give organisations the information they need to provide a high-quality service, deliver value for money and improved outcomes from children and young people, as well as helping them and other stakeholders work collaboratively.
The publication will feature best practice on topics such as access to provision, on-line counselling and commissioning services due to local need.
And the toolkit also features personal stories from counsellors and young people talking about their experience of counselling.
The document, which is an update on 2011 publication, is being worked on by us, the Welsh Government and counselling managers and practitioners in Welsh schools.
It will be published and shared among members of the Welsh Schools Counselling Network, within education and community settings and available on our website.
Jo Holmes, BACP’s Children, Young People and Families lead, said: “I believe this will be a go-to document for school-based counsellors giving them the support they need and helping to ensure the best possible counselling provision and outcomes for school children in Wales.
“It will help clarify best practice and ensure consistent standards.
“It has been fantastic to get around the table with our members and government officials to shape this publication, update it and develop it into something we can all be proud of.
“Although this document is for counsellors and services in Wales, the topics and guidelines within this will be universal to all school-counsellors and potential providers. I’d love to see something like this rolled out across all four nations as an example of exemplary practice.”
The toolkit is due to be launched by the Welsh Government later this year.
Read more about our work involving Children, Young People and Families
Three quarters of people believe schools should offer counselling
School counselling can be a vital early intervention, says BACP's Jo Holmes
‘Counselling has helped me find out who I am - and be comfortable in my own skin’
Reece, 15, was supported by a school counsellor and a therapist from a local charity.
'My school counselling sessions saved me. They completely changed my life'
Liam describes how his school counsellor helped him deal with anxiety, depression and the voices in his head