School Counsellor

We have a professional counsellor to help students with any problems they might have.

What is counselling about?

Counselling is an opportunity to talk in confidence to a qualified counsellor about any issues or concerns. Common issues raised in counselling include anxiety, stress, relationships, loss and traumatic events but anything that is a concern can be discussed.

What happens in counselling?

Counselling gives you the opportunity to talk in private about anything that is worrying you. The counsellor will help you to look at choices and encourage you to make your own decisions.

Is counselling confidential?

What you tell the counsellor is not repeated to others without your permission unless there are very serious concerns about your own or another person’s safety. This will be explained at your initial meeting.

Do my parents need to know?

Counselling works with a definition called ‘Gillick Competency’, which is a way of deciding when a young person is old enough to make decisions for themselves about their lives. This is an individual decision based on how well you understand what counselling is and the consequences of not telling your parents. Often, young people’s counselling services are offered from age 13 years. Counselling works best when you are able to tell your parents and they can support you but it may be that you wish to come for counselling without them knowing. This is something that would be discussed in your initial meeting.