Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has today, Wednesday 31 May, announced the establishment of a landmark programme of counselling and mental health supports to be piloted in a series of primary schools from September 2023. For the first time ever, clusters of primary schools will be able to avail of significant counselling services through an innovative pilot project.
The first strand announced today will see primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, and Tipperary having the opportunity to avail of this exciting new pilot. The new programme is designed to recognise the impact of COVID-19 on primary school-aged children and will work to mitigate the mental health challenges, which may be experienced in schools.

Minister Foley said: “Wellbeing is at the very heart of all that we do in the education system. Developing and promoting wellbeing is essential to allowing children to learn and grow to the very best of their abilities. This new pilot project aims to support, enhance and nurture wellbeing in our primary schools with two new support models.

“I am pleased to announce the beginning of this pilot programme to provide significant counselling and mental health supports to children in primary school. I have secured €5m from Budget 2023 for this pilot to begin in September for the 2023/24 school year. This will complement ongoing work and resources to support children’s mental health and wellbeing being provided in schools by the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and, in post-primary schools, guidance counsellors; as well as the wider mental health supports available to children and young people through the health services.

“The delivery of this pilot programme will aim to ensure that children with mental health needs are provided with accessible and responsive services, to allow them to reach their educational potential and experience improved wellbeing. My Department will work closely with the Department of Health and the HSE throughout the pilot and both Departments will continue to explore ways to improve supports for young people, including around increased awareness, promoting help-seeking behaviour and sign-posting to the wide range of available services.”

Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan TD said: “I am delighted to see the detail of this important initiative today. There is no doubt that the impact of COVID-19 on our children’s mental health is still being felt. This pilot will provide for an allocation of one-to-one counselling sessions for primary schools, with children with special educational needs also benefitting from the programme in the seven counties.”


Strand one of this pilot programme will be delivered as outlined below:

• The provision of an allocation of one-to-one counselling sessions for primary schools, across counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Tipperary, via access to a Department of Education-approved counsellor.


• These counties were selected following an analysis of counsellor availability locally and liaison with regional NEPS teams. Counties with sufficient availability of counsellors were selected for strand one this pilot.


• Schools will have access to up to eight counselling sessions for each individual child being supported under this strand of the pilot as an early intervention measure to prevent the escalation of difficulties and the need for onward referral.


• Parents and relevant school staff will be part of the intervention with the child and will be guided and encouraged to support the child at home and at school.


• All primary schools in strand one will receive further information during the next week, including information for parents about the pilot programme.

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