A SCHOOL principal has warned that primary schools having funding axed for children counselling could end up costing society more in the future.
Brian Treacy, Principal of Holy Trinity Primary School, was speaking following the announcement that the Department of Education (DoE) was withdrawing the funding for the Healthy Happy Minds counselling throughout schools in the North.
The service, insists Treacy, has been crucial in helping children cope with mental health and anxiety issues brought about by every day life and the recent Covid lockdown period.
A report from the Pro Bono Economics group (PBE) stated that for every pound spent on primary school counselling, £8 (per child) is saved in future services such as the health and legal systems.
Treacy, pictured below, said: “There’s no doubt that since counselling in schools was brought in, academic achievement, classroom behaviour and social interaction has improved.
“It is also helping to prevent children from going down a certain path by stopping a lot of behavioural patterns that lead to that path. The line from the PBE report I agree with absolutely. The more you invest at the earliest stage possible, the better outcomes there will be for children.
“Governments and societies will save a great deal more money down the line in terms of the justice system and mental health. Investing at an early age is absolutely critical.
“Unfortunately, politicians work in the short-term in terms of the next election and sometimes don’t see the long game. In 10-15 years time, questions will be asked why people are taking more fays off work due to mental health issues or why have the crime rates gone up.
“Yet the chance to maybe nip all of that in the bud was passed up.”
Treacy has moved to reassure parents that some form of a counselling programme will be available to Holy Trinity pupils – but at the expense of another service.
He added: “It’s a service that’s very much needed. If it is pulled – and that looks likely – we’re going to have to, because of the importance of this service, fund that through another mechanism.
“I’m not sure how that’s going to be yet but it would mean taking money out of somewhere else. Whatever happens, we are looking to keep some form of a counselling programme in place for the children here.
“Counselling is part and parcel of school life now. We have noticed the need for it growing over the last number of years – especially post-Covid. Early intervention is important in trying to alleviate any difficulties further down the line.
“Some children are struggling in terms of just managing themselves in daily life situations. A lot of anxiety would be around because the way society is now with the access children have to absolutely everything not to mention the amount of information available to them which can be overwhelming.”
The Herald contact the Department of Education (DoE) and asked why the funding was being cut? We also asked if they were aware of the future consequences of this decision and why were schools having to make cuts in order to keep some form of counselling available.
Instead, they issued a statement that read: “The Healthy Happy Minds Therapeutic and Counselling pilot is operating until the end of March 2023.
“The programme is subject to an independent evaluation and DE is expecting this to be completed by the end of March 2023.
“Current indications are that DE will be given an extremely challenging budget outcome for 2023-24, and therefore, it is unlikely that the Department will be in a position to continue with this pilot after the end of March.”
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