More counsellors join pupil support service

More counselling will be available for school pupils in East Renfrewshire as interim measures are introduced due to Covid-19.

Work on a new mental health service has been delayed by the pandemic, preventing a procurement process from taking place.

That process has now started but, in the meantime, the number of counsellors - commissioned from Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH) - will be doubled to six to provide access to support for primary seven and secondary school pupils.

A recovery team has also been set up, which includes a range of practitioners from education, social work and health. These staff will be able to provide one to one interventions for pupils.

Two staff members in each secondary school will take COSCA - counselling and psychotherapy - training.

One member of staff per primary school, including those in Barrhead and Neilston, will also take the course.

Training sessions will also be available to young people to “provide them with tools to prevent them becoming ill”and “to support their peers on a day-to-day basis”.

The interim measures will overlap with the new service, a council officer told education committee members at a recent meeting.

Another officer added: “Youngsters are much more aware of their mental health. It has not got the stigma, I think, that it used to have. We’re grateful for that.

“For a long time, it was the hidden syndrome that nobody was ever allowed to talk about.

“Parents, pupils and staff are now going to have much more explicit training on how to spot some signs, but also to make sure the ethos of every classroom is right to make sure youngsters are encouraged to take part.

“We don’t need to wait until someone is in crisis and that is what these services set out.”

In July last year, the Scottish Government committed £12m to councils to deliver access to school counselling services.

The council’s education psychology service worked with partners to create an East

Renfrewshire framework, with the aim of supporting parents, carers and young people with their mental health.

Known as Healthier Minds, it was launched in February and contains“helpful information and practical advice”to“manage life’s challenges”.

An event was held in November last year to explore the design of a new service to “complement the Healthier Minds framework”.

A range of stakeholders were invited, including staff, pupils, parent council representatives, social workers and charities.

The educational psychology team captured views shared on the day and planned to move to a procurement process for the delivery of the service.

However, the process was delayed by the pandemic.

Council staff then met with teachers and pupils to find alternative interim arrangements for this school year.

Key areas identified included direct access to support for pupils and staff and prevention and self-care approaches.

Councillor Paul O’Kane welcomed the“relentless focus” on mental health.

He said:“The stigma has really reduced in recent times and we see a really robust package of measures going forward.

“I’d like to highlight the Healthier Minds piece of work, I think that has been vitally important during lockdown and I know it will continue to flourish and grow going forward.”