1319. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the evaluation of The Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot highlighted the effectivness of the six one to one sessions with the child; and the findings of same. [62609/26]

1327. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if The Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot recommended to adjust the six week period of therapy either by increasing or decreasing the length of time. [62610/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1319 and 1327 together.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 62609 and 62610 together.

My Department is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children and young people. In 2023 my department launched two landmark initiatives, one to one counselling provision for children in primary schools in Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary and access to an Education Wellbeing Practitioner, a new type of in-school support in selected schools in Carlow, Cork, Dublin 7 and Dublin 16. As the Deputy will be aware, this Pilot sees direct counselling supports being provided to children in their primary school for the first time.

In October 2024, my Department announced the extension of the Pilot to 61 urban DEIS primary schools in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Finglas, Ballymun and Darndale. The schools included in the pilot were identified by my department as supporting children from areas with some of the highest levels of disadvantage in the State. I also recently announced the extension of this counselling provision to primary schools in the DEIS Plus scheme.

The provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. The counselling service provided through the Pilot Programme is designed as an interim, early-intervention support for children with mild to moderate mental health needs. It is not intended to replace the role of the psychologist from NEPS or services provided by HSE Primary Care Psychology or CAMHS, but rather to complement and enhance the existing supports available to children and families The pilot operates on the clear understanding that children who are attending HSE Primary Care Psychology or CAMHS should continue to engage with those services. Similarly, children who are awaiting assessment or intervention through HSE services should remain on those waiting lists. The CPS-P is designed as a supplementary support and not as a substitute for clinical assessment, diagnosis or long-term therapeutic intervention. Where a child presents with needs that require ongoing or specialist intervention, appropriate referral pathways through HSE services remain available and should be pursued.

The counselling model was specifically designed as an early intervention support for children presenting with mild to moderate mental health needs, with the aim of preventing difficulties from escalating and reducing the need for more intensive interventions. The decision to offer up to six counselling sessions was informed by national and international research demonstrating that brief interventions can have a meaningful positive impact for children experiencing mild to moderate emotional difficulties. While there is no single intervention length that is appropriate for every child, the pilot was intentionally designed as a short-term, early-intervention support. The 6 counselling sessions are bookended by two additional consultations involving parents and school staff. The initial consultation ensures informed consent, gathers relevant background information and clarifies the nature of the referral concerns. The concluding consultation provides feedback and recommendations so that effective strategies can continue to be reinforced at home and in school, supporting the child beyond the counselling intervention itself.

In August I published an evaluation of the Counselling Pilot which was completed by the Centre for Effective Services (CES) The findings of the Evaluation highlighted the positive impact of school-based counselling and access to an Education Wellbeing Practitioner. The supports were highly valued by pupils, parents, school leaders and staff, and delivered meaningful benefits, including improvements in emotional regulation, resilience, communication skills and coping strategies. The findings demonstrate the value of early intervention and prevention focused supports in primary schools and also highlights the important role that schools can play in providing accessible, preventative and early intervention wellbeing supports.

The evaluation found that, where referrals aligned with the intended target group, the eight-session counselling model had a positive impact for children. However, the evaluation also identified that some referrals fell outside the intended scope of the service. In certain cases, more complex needs emerged during the counselling process that were not evident at the point of referral. The evaluation further noted that, given the challenges in accessing specialist mental health services, schools sometimes sought to secure support for children with more significant needs through the pilot, notwithstanding that the model was not designed to meet those needs. The evaluation did also highlight the need for a clearer and more consistent understanding among schools, parents and other stakeholders of what is meant by "mild to moderate" mental health needs, the objectives of the eight-session counselling model, and its place within the wider continuum of mental health supports available to children and young people in Ireland.

NEPS will ensure that all documentation for stakeholders provides greater clarity regarding the target cohort for the service and the appropriate steps to be taken where it becomes apparent that a child's needs fall outside the scope of the Pilot.