Department of Education Pilot Programme of Counselling in Primary Schools 2023-2024
The Minister for Education has announced an investment of €5 million in piloting a programme of counselling supports for primary school pupils in the school year 2023-24. The pilot programme will be provided in all primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary.
Each school in the pilot will be given access to counselling supports (as determined by the Department of Education) under the pilot from September 2023–June 2024 (inclusive).
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) on behalf of the Department will establish county panels of pre-approved counsellors to provide in-person one-to-one counselling to support primary school pupils in these counties.
NEPS is now seeking applications from accredited members of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI)/ Irish Association of Humanistic/Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP)/ Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), who have the requisite qualifications and experience for the provision of counselling to primary school children, to be part of this exciting new initiative in primary schools.
If you are interested in applying and consider that you have the requisite qualifications and experience, please complete the attached application form and send to CounsellingPilot@education.gov.ie.
Applications for counsellors are being accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the school year for participation in the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot.
More detailed information can be found in the Terms & Conditions of Pilot Programme of Counselling in Primary Schools 2023-24
Application Form Counselling
