Don’t use our kids as guinea pigs for counselling charity
Anger over volunteers used for new school service
Education bosses have been accused of using children as guinea pigs following the introduction of a new school counselling service.
Charity Place2Be has been awarded a contract to deliver emotional and therapeutic services to pupils in five primary and two secondary schools.
This will see youngsters being offered help to cope with issues including bullying, bereavement, domestic violence, family breakdown, neglect and trauma.
However, the decision to introduce the service – which runs in almost 300 schools across the UK – has been criticised by Labour councillor Jim Sharkey.
He claims Renfrewshire Council is inviting unqualified individuals into schools by allowing some counselling sessions to be delivered by volunteers.
Councillor Sharkey, whose ward is Paisley Northeast and Ralston, said: “I have had to drag every piece of information out of council officials, which suggests to me that the SNP have not researched the scheme and want it introduced without proper scrutiny.
“If my questions had been asked by the convener then officials would have had answers at their fingertips.
“This is the SNP trying to get unqualified people into our schools.
“It is our children they are experimenting on.
“Our pupils should not be used as guinea pigs or as an exploitable resource for some outside group.
“Counselling is a very valuable tool for those who need it.
“There should not be unqualified individuals practicing on our most vulnerable children.”
Data has revealed that 82 per cent of children with severe difficulties have shown improvements in wellbeing after Place2Be counselling.
Meanwhile, 79 per cent have shown an improvement in friendship, while 62 per cent have seen difficulties have less impact on their learning.
The charity’s counselling service has been successfully piloted in schools in Glasgow and North Ayrshire.
Councillor Jim Paterson, convener of education and children’s services policy board, hit back at Councillor Sharkey.
The Renfrew South and Gallowhill member described the implementation of Place2Be counselling as “a positive step for young people in Renfrewshire”.
He added: “It had full cross party support at last week’s education and children’s services board.
“The attempt to now create negativity around this welcome initiative is deeply disappointing.”
“The Place2Be counselling service provides an in- depth therapeutic programme for pupils of one- toone and group support, and drop-in sessions, while also supporting parents, teachers and staff.
“It operates in almost 300 schools across the UK – and in Renfrewshire five primary and two secondary schools chose to sign up to offer the service, which is at the discretion of the headteacher.”
Mr Paterson highlighted that the service is managed in each school by a project manager who is a fully-trained counsellor.
He added: “Some of the sessions a re delivered by volunt e e r counsellors.
“However, these volunteers require to either already be qualified or be studying on a relevant accredited university or college course.
“In all cases, training is delivered by the school project manager before the volunteers start in school, and they continue to supervise their work.”