The BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) is celebrating campaigning success after the announcement that there will soon be additional counsellors in education across Scotland – and crucially, £60 million for counsellors in all secondary schools.
Plans drawn up by the Scottish government will have mental health counselling available in every secondary school in Scotland.
Up to 350 counsellors and a further 250 specially trained nurses will be employed to tackle growing levels of anxiety and depression.
This news has elated BACP (the British Association of Counsellors and Psychologists) who have campaigned strongly for many years, for all children and young people in Scotland to have access to trained counsellors in schools.
Figures published earlier this week indicated that more than 8,000 children with severe mental health issues were waiting to see a specialist at the end of June 2018, with over 2,000 of them having had to wait for more than 18 weeks.
Policy and Engagement Lead for Four Nations, Steve Mulligan, said:
“I’m absolutely delighted that the Scottish Government has made this decision. […] Let’s hope this encourages other decision makers to acknowledge the vital importance of counselling in education. […] A big thanks to all of our members in Scotland who have helped this happen.”
A community mental wellbeing service will also be created for 5-24 year olds, with more support offered to the 11,000 women a year who had mental health problems during and after pregnancy.