Research into demand for counselling/therapeutic provision in a group of primary schools

An audit of a school-based counselling provision for emotional and behavioural difficulties in primary school children

“…According to Moore et al (1993) the level of need and the willingness to participate in counselling for emotional problems needs to be researched. This project highlights the wide range of need and the possibility of meeting this within a schoolbased approach.…”

“…Any primary school classroom teacher can expect to find two or more pupils in her class who are failing to make satisfactory progress due to emotional difficulty. Moore et al (1993) also found a clear indication that schools are not being properly resourced. The Education Act of 1981 only allows for a small proportion of deserving casesprobably where the needs are most demanding-to be supported.…”

“…There is concern that children with emotional and behavioural difficulties are not being attended to (Pyke, 1992). In an HMYAudit Commission report (June, 1992) it was recommended that research is needed to clarify how many children experience emotional and behavioural difficulties, to investigate what provision is being made for them and to reassess the effectiveness of that provision 8% of pupils surveyed had special needs associated with emotional disturbance (Moore et al, 1993). Any primary school classroom teacher can expect to find two or more pupils in her class who are failing to make satisfactory progress due to emotional difficulty.…”

“…Essentially, then, what is needed are age-appropriate therapeutic strategies (Eisenberg, 1992). Moore et al (1993) researched primary schools in southeast England to see what level of demand there would be for a counselling/educational therapy service and if head teachers would be prepared to make available the relevant funding. They found that there are a significant number of children who could benefit from such a service and that there is willingness to make funds available, but reservation about how much.…”

Evaluating the Needs of a Birmingham Secondary School's Troubled Students and the School's Working Responses to Them: ‘The Value of Listening’

“…The unit offers a base for this work. There are increasing calls for specialist counsellors in school (see Moore et al 1993, Cross 1995, Moore et al 1996, Benyon & Wright 1997, and a number of case studies in this country (such as Cooper et al 1994) and internationally (such as Lang et al 1994) demonstrate the potential for success. Although the role teacher-counsellor is fraught with potential for conflict, there are, thankfully, studies reporting their success (see Cowell & Franklin 1987, Bishop 1990, Lane 1996, for example).…”