Counselling services for schools and colleges
The benefits of counselling in education
We know that schools are deeply committed to meeting the individual needs of students as they prepare them to meet the challenges of growing up and moving toward adulthood.
Research* has shown that counselling can have a positive impact on the way that young people experience their school and home lives. Children and young people tend to find it difficult to engage at school if they have had stressful or distressing experiences or are experiencing emotional difficulties. They may struggle with their studies, or show their distress through difficulties they have relating to teachers or other pupils. Counselling can provide effective early intervention and prevention to enable students to manage their feelings and stress levels. It is also effective in helping students address issues such as anxiety, academic work stress, and friendship issues. In addition those experiencing bereavement, parental separation, loss of self-confidence, self-harm, eating disorders and substance misuse can benefit.
Our own outcome evidence has been collected over 15 years of offering counselling in educational settings. It demonstrates the very positive impact on a student’s capacity to achieve. We consistently find that students benefit in measurable ways from engaging with Dialogue services. We also found there was a 70% drop in exclusions. Furthermore the number of students placed on internal disciplinary measures dropped by 67% whilst attending YMCA Dialogue sessions.
*Rupani, Houghey, Cooper (2012). “The impact of school based counselling on young people’s capacity to study and learn”. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
We have found that for students attending YMCA Dialogue sessions:
- 86% reported improved ability to engage with learning
- 84% reported an increase in their self-esteem
- 84% reported greater stability or improvement in their emotional well-being
- 100% said their sessions had been ‘helpful’ or ‘very helpful’ to them
- Services comply with the Department for Education guidelines ‘Counselling in Schools: a Blueprint for the Future’ 2015.
We work in a diverse range of schools, including:
- Mainstream infant, junior and primary schools
- Mainstream secondary schools and 6th form colleges
- Special needs schools
- Free schools and academies
- Independent schools
“For so long you have offered me unwavering support, and I will always be grateful for that. No doubt you are the main reason I stayed calm and passed all my GCSEs with flying colours. Thank you so much again.”
To find out more, please contact:
T 01273 725259
