Staff Counselling and supporting mental health among staff is an important part of whole-school wellbeing. Where this impacts upon their wellbeing and ultimately their performance, counselling can often help. North East Counselling Services provides individual counselling for teachers, senior leaders and other staff – made available at our Blaydon main office, our counselling rooms in Pelaw, or in school.
School Staff Counselling
Group-Based Support
Where an issue is affecting multiple staff in a school or Multi Academy Trust, we offer short-term or long-term support in small groups. We can also work with senior leaders or other staff across an entire MAT.
Supporting Those in Emotionally Intensive Roles
Staff whose work tends to be emotionally challenging – for example that involves a high safeguarding or pastoral load – can often benefit from group-based or individual support from a qualified counselling supervisor.
Group-based ‘reflective supervision’, in-school or off-site, offers a space for staff to:
- Reflect upon the work challenges and issues that might be bringing stress and affecting their performance or day-to-day life
- Process their experiences
- Explore different perspectives with others in the group.
This can help to improve the ways in which individual staff deal with stresses and can build greater resilience across the group.
Crisis Support
Our rapid response, crisis service provides trauma-informed support when a school has been affected by an unexpected death or other major incident. We have supported schools in this way, for example, after traumatic and traumatic bereavements, or following violent incidents that have affected pupils and/or staff
To assess needs, we aim to meet within 24 hours of your first contact with us. We will then work quickly with you to agree and co-ordinate rapid access to services. This might involve one-to-one counselling for a small number of students or staff who have been most affected, or group-based sessions where appropriate.
Need mental health support for your school staff?
FAQs about our School Counselling Services
Still got a question? Find out everything you need to know about our School Counselling services below. Alternatively, please contact us if you would like more information.
Do you work with both children and staff?
Yes. North East Counselling Services provides one-to-one counselling to children and young people, as well as to school staff.
What age do you support?
North East Counselling Services provides one-to-one counselling to children and young people from age 4 upwards.
How do you work with schools?
We can provide in-school counselling for just one child, or can offer from a half day to several days of in-school counsellor support each week. If a student struggles to be seen in school, then alternative venues can be used.
Do you refer to other services?
If, at the first counselling session, we feel that the issues a child or young person is experiencing (or some other background factors) mean they would benefit from a different type of therapy or service, which we do not provide, then we will discuss that with the school. We would also do this if, during or at the end of counselling, we felt that the child could benefit from some other support.
Do you offer crisis support?
Our rapid response, crisis service provides trauma-informed support when a school has been affected by an unexpected death or other major incident.
We have supported schools in this way, for example, after
- Traumatic bereavements
- Violent incidents that have affected pupils and/or staff
To assess needs, we aim to meet within 24 hours of your first contact with us. We will then work quickly with you to agree and co-ordinate rapid access to services.
This might involve one-to-one counselling for a small number of students or staff who have been most affected, or group-based sessions where appropriate.
Is the information provided confidential?
Individual Student and Staff Counselling
When our counsellors work one-on-one with your pupils or staff, what they say to us will be confidential, within safe and legal limits. This allows them the freedom to express themselves and really get to the root of the issues, without fear of any judgement or negative repercussions from others.
Group Work with School Staff
When working with groups of staff, it’s important to create a safe space in which they can speak freely. In order to do that, the counsellor facilitating the group will make an oral contract with the school staff who take part, limiting what can be shared outside of the sessions.
Are your school counsellors fully qualified?
Our schools counsellors are fully qualified and are registered or accredited members of a professional membership body, such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
All of our counsellors:
- Work to a competence framework and strict code of ethics set by their membership body.
- Hold an up-to-date, Enhanced, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and complete regular safeguarding training
- Are covered by professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance.
Each counsellor also receives a minimum of an hour of clinical supervision each month and undertakes appropriate continuing professional development, to inform and continually strengthen their work.
How do you handle safeguarding?
To ensure that all of the counselling we deliver is safe and ethical, we assess any risks that arise during work with a child or and young person. If at any time the counsellor feels risks may be present, they will:
- Follow the procedures set out by the school;
- Report to the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL);
- Log the safeguarding issue on North East Counselling Services’ own system;
- Ensure that they act in line with best practice guidance and with our own safeguarding policy
Counsellors are also able to contact a safeguarding lead, at our head office, for support as required.
How do we make an enquiry?
To arrange counselling, discuss counselling costs and budgets, or simply to explore how we might be able to work together, please telephone us on 0191 4661314 and ask to speak to Marj Hunter (CEO) or Jolene McCourt (Operations Manager). Alternatively, email marj@necounselling.org.uk or jolene@necounselling.org.uk – or fill in our contact form to get started.
