| About the School Counselling Service at Domremy
The
School Counsellor position at Domremy College exists as part of the
school’s strong commitment to the provision of Pastoral
Care for all students. The School Counsellor works in collaboration
with the College’s Executive Administration team in addition
to the Guidance Co-ordinators for each year level in order to ensure
a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach to student well-being.
The School
Counsellor is available to provide brief, individual counselling
for students across years 7 to 12. Participation in the
counselling process is voluntary and confidential. The School Counsellor
is bound by strict practice guidelines and procedures set by the
NSW Psychologist’s Registration Board and the Australian Psychological
Society’s Code of Ethics.
Purpose
of Counselling
The
School Counsellor can:
- Listen
carefully without making judgements
- Provide
individual support with personal issues
- Provide
information on a range of topics
- Guide
students to find their own solutions to problems
- Assist
students to learn new skills in areas such as:
- well-being
- social interaction
- self esteem enhancement
- goal setting
- anger management
- appropriate classroom behaviour
- responding to family conflict
- Recommend
and co-ordinate referrals to external youth-based counseling
and family services where
appropriate
- Liaise
with teachers and parents regarding student issues, where appropriate
- Provide
practical and counseling support in the event of an emergency
or crisis situation
Access
to the College Counsellor
The Counsellor is available five days a week during school hours.
Appointments can take place during recess, lunch or class time.
Students are able to access appointments with the School Counsellor
via a range of referral methods including:
- Self
Referral
- Referral
by Peers
- Principal
- Assistant
Principal
- Guidance
Co-ordinators
- Classroom
Teachers
- Resource
Centre
- Parents
Counselling
Appointments
The
School Counsellor seeks to maintain a structured yet flexible approach
to scheduling student appointments to allow for
unanticipated situations, including prioritising of students
that are in
need of immediate support. Notification to Teachers
The classroom teacher receives a note from the counsellor indicating
that a student is going to be absent from their class. The teacher
has the opportunity to cancel the appointment if the time is not
convenient (eg due to class test, revisions etc). For ‘drop-in’ or
ugent student appointments, a teacher will be notified afterwards
that the student was with the counsellor. The student office is
also notified, where appropriate.
Where more
than one appointment is required, attempts are made to ensure that
ongoing appointments are distributed evenly across a
student’s curriculum cycle. However, staff members are encouraged
to notify the counsellor if a student is missing the same class repeatedly
or is at risk of falling behind in a particular subject if a class
is not attended.
Notification to Students
Initial appointment times are placed in sealed envelopes in the roll
call pigeonholes, for distribution during morning or afternoon
roll call. Where ongoing sessions are required, students typically
secure follow up appointment times at the end of each period. Students
are provided with a note as confirmation of their appointment time.
How
Does Counselling Help?
School Counsellors hold qualifications in the areas of education
and psychology. Their specialised training equips them with the
tools to promote the well-being and functioning of students within
school settings.
A
range of techniques and approaches are utilised by the School Counsellor
including:
- Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy
- Rational
Emotive Therapy
- Emotional
Release Counselling
- Behaviour
Modification
- Relaxation,
Meditation and Breathing
- Visualisation
Exercises
Referrals
to other Services
Where intensive, complex or specialised services are required,
the School Counsellor may refer students and families to
a range of
appropriate community agencies including:
- Family
GP
- Centacare
- Relationships
Australia
- Private
Psychologists
- Child,
Adolescent and Family Mental Health Services
- Parent
Helpline
Confidentiality
School Counsellors are bound by a strict code of client confidentiality
in addition to the Privacy Act. There are times, however, when a
School Counsellor must pass on information to others in order to
ensure student safety and wellbeing. This is a requirement by Law.
There are also times where it is deemed important to share all or
part of a student’s concerns with staff or parents. Students
are informed of these boundaries during the initial session. Sharing
of any student information by the School Counsellor occurs only with
the consent of the student and/or parents.
Involvement
With Parents
Parents are an integral part of their daughter’s lives and,
therefore, form a valued part of the counselling process. Students
are encouraged to share information and strategies provided by the
School Counsellor with their parents following each session. Copies
of session activities are provided for students to keep in order
to maintain a record of their progress over time. In rare cases,
students are reluctant to inform parents of their counselling appointments.
Student privacy is respected in these cases, although students are
encouraged to inform at least one member of their family.
How
to contact the College Counsellor
Should you wish to know more about the School Counselling services
available for your daughter, please do not hesitateto contact the
School Counsellor.
Ms Kylie Cann, MAPS
NSW Psych Reg PS0110065
School Counsellor
Domremy College
Ph (02) 9712 2133
Fax (02) 9712 5296
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