AQW 14903/22-27
Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 12/09/2024
Answered On Date: 26/09/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of the preventative value of providing counselling services in primary schools; and (ii) whether he is working with the Minister of Education to consider jointly funding these services.
Answer:
The case for investing in therapeutic interventions in schools is well made with recent studies on a UK basis showing the positive impact that they can have on both pupil wellbeing and prevention of long-term mental illness. I am unaware of any specific studies which have taken place relating to provision of these services in Northern Ireland. There is no specific work currently ongoing in relation to funding counselling services in primary schools. The challenging financial context across both Departments of Health and Education mean that budgets and investments are severely constrained. Schools do have the flexibility to use their individual budgets to meet pupil needs, which can include employing a counsellor or therapist. However, both Departments do collaborate to provide wider mental health support in primary schools through engagement and joint funding. In February 2021, the Department of Health and the Department of Education jointly launched the Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework. The main emphasis of the Framework is to support educational settings to promote emotional health and wellbeing at a universal level, through a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach. This will enable our children and young people to build resilience in coping with challenges they may face in life and providing early and enhanced support for those who may be at risk or showing signs of needing further help. Services and projects that have been established under the Framework are available across primary and post-primary schools. The following initiatives have been piloted or rolled out to primary schools since the publication of the Framework. School Nursing Pilot (commenced 2021/22) Resilience in Education, Assisting Change to Happen (commenced 2021/22) Regional Integrated Support for Education - Expansion of the existing RISE service (expanded from up to primary 4 to up to primary 7) - (commenced 2021/22) Being Well Doing Well – (recently commenced in the 2023/24 academic year.) The Attach Project (TAP) (commenced 2021/22) Further information on each of the above projects can be found at: Emotional Health and Wellbeing | Department of Education (education-ni.gov.uk)
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