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Handbook for Counsellors

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This handbook can be accessed on the Department of Education’s website at:www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ed_couns_svcs.pdf

Table of Contents

Minister’s Directive on School Counsellors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Standards and Guidelines for Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Purpose/General Objectives of School Counselling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Consultation, Planning and Coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

School Counsellor Qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Time Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Counsellor Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Record Keeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Maintenance of Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Access to Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Release of Confidential Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Storage and Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Appendices

Minister’s Directive No. MD 2003-03 School CounsellorsOperational DefinitionsSurvey: Role of the School Counsellor

References

School Counselling Services

1

“School Counselling Services are an integral andessential component of the educational process for allstudents as they progress through the educationalsystem. The need for these services is dictated by thecomplexity of the human growth process, thedemands on youth and the ever changing nature ofsociety.

The aims of school counselling services, which arebased on a developmental hierarchy, are to providestudents with:

< opportunities to develop knowledge and anappreciation of themselves and others;

< opportunities to develop relationship skills, ethicalstandards and a sense of responsibility;

< opportunities to acquire skills and attitudesnecessary to develop educational goals which aresuited to their needs, interests and abilities;

< information which would enable them to makedecisions about life and career opportunities.

Administrators and teachers contribute to theimplementation of these aims, both informally andthrough curriculum, as well as by identifying andreferring students who have particular needs. Specificcounselling functions require the intervention ofqualified school counsellors and consultant staff.”

Minister’s Directive No. MD 2003-03


3

Standards and Guidelines for School Counsellors

! School counselling services provide supports andresources to students, to their families and toeducators.

! The primary goal of school counselling services isto enhance and promote student learning.

! The core functions of the school counsellor consistof counselling; consultation, planning andcoordination; prevention and education.

! Specific counselling functions require theintervention of qualified school counsellors andconsultant staff.

! School counsellors have a professionalresponsibility to maintain high standards ofprofessional competence and ethical behaviour.

! School counsellors effectively organize their timeto provide counselling services.

! School counsellors maintain records in sufficientdetail to track the sequence and nature of theservices rendered.

! The school counsellor is the custodian, guardianand manager of the counselling record.

! Written consent from parents and/or student, asappropriate, is required before information fromthe counselling record can be shared.

! School counsellors’ records must be maintained,stored and/or destroyed in accordance with currentschool board policy.

Standards and Guidelines

4

Counsellors or guidancepersonnel?

Mental health workers orcareer educators?

Group specialists orindividual therapist?

Just what is a schoolcounsellor?

Flexibility is a keyingredient in providingan effective and efficientschool counsellingservice.

Preamble Prince Edward Island School Counselling ServicesCounselling in schools across Prince Edward Islandhas a rich and diverse history, and the role of theschool counsellor continues to evolve and change tomeet the demands of the current population. Over thedecades, the role has changed from providingprimarily academic support to a more comprehensivearray of services, which range from academic andcognitive assessment to counselling students and theirfamilies. The changes have largely come about toreflect philosophical shifts in education and in societygenerally. For example, risk factors including povertyrates, working parents, blended families, transientfamilies and an increase in divorce rates haveincreased demands for social/emotional support at atime when programs and service delivery traditionallyprovided by agencies and departments outside of theschool system have changed.Today’s students face increased challenges often withdecreased support. Students live in a very dynamicworld that presents constant change and increaseddemands for them to be self reliant in a world that isas expansive and exciting as it is overwhelming anduncertain. Student feelings of anxiety and depressionare intensified by peer pressure; bullying; unstablefamily environments; drug, alcohol and tobacco use;and increased teen suicide rates, all of which createbarriers to learning. As well, the developmentaldiversity which exists within the student populationand the changes in service delivery provided byoutside agencies means that school counsellors andother support staff within the education system arefaced with unique challenges. Flexibility seems to bea key ingredient in providing an effective and efficientschool counselling service. More and more studentsvary in their capacity to cope with the academic,social and emotional demands and require supportwithin the school system to help them makesuccessful transitions through life. School counsellingservices are key to providing that support.


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• School counselling services provide supports and resources to students, totheir families and to educators.

• The primary goal of school counselling services is to enhance and promotestudent learning.

• The core functions of the school counsellor consist of counselling;consultation, planning and coordination; prevention and education.

School counsellorsprovide a continuum ofservices.

All educational servicesrely on a teamapproach.

Purpose/General Objectives ofSchool Counselling Services

The primary goal of school counselling services is toenhance and promote student learning. Schoolcounselling services are designed to provide supportsand resources to students at all grade levels, to theirfamilies, and to educators. These services areintended to facilitate the educational, personal, social,emotional and career development of students inschools and in the community. (MD 2003-03 SchoolCounsellors, page 3)

School counsellors provide a continuum ofpreventative, developmental, remedial, andintervention services and facilitate referral tocommunity resources. The school counsellor’s roleincludes counselling; school-based consultation,planning and coordination; education and assisting inthe development of effective behavioural change.

The following descriptions outline the core servicesthat school counsellors are well qualified to providewithin the school setting. These descriptions areintended to be used as guidelines for counsellors,administrators and school staff in determining thespecific role that a counsellor will perform in aparticular school.

All educational services rely on a team approach.


6

School counsellorsprovide individual andgroup-counsellingservices that arerelevant to the needs,interests anddevelopmental level ofstudents.

School counsellors areactive participants inthe planning process.

Counselling

School counselling functions may include individual,group and class work to provide both an interventionand prevention service. The intention of thecounselling service is:

• to respond to emotional, social, intellectual,academic and career needs in a developmentallyappropriate manner

• to provide an environment which is conducive toself-exploration in order to develop an awarenessof personal uniqueness which is of primaryconcern in the counselling process

• to promote personal and social developmentappropriate to developmental stages

• to help students, through their families and thecommunity, grow in areas such as self-esteem andindividual responsibility, and in skills such asdecision making and social relationships

• to support a student’s academic progress through avariety of interventions which may includeindividual assessments, goal setting, assisting withthe development of Individual Education Plans(IEP), study habits and organizational skills.

Consultation, Planning and Coordination

School counsellors consult and plan collaborativelywith students, other educators, the school basedstudent services team, parents, other communityagencies and outside professionals in planning goalsand effective strategies to promote the emotional,intellectual, social, academic and career developmentof students. Consultation may focus on students’individual needs or on school, district or communityprograms or services. School counsellors are activeparticipants in the planning process.


7

“It is easier to buildstrong children than torepair broken men.”

Frederick Douglas

Several schools currently have the support of Multi-Agency Support Teams (MAST). As a member ofthese, or the school-based Student Services Team, theschool counsellor assists in the access to andcoordination of school, district and other communityservices for students as specified by local protocolagreements. Coordination may include informationgathering, case management, referral, and liaisonbetween home, school and the community. Schoolcounsellors frequently assist students with transitionsbetween schools throughout the public system andwith post-secondary plans.

Prevention

School counsellors spend much of their timedeveloping and implementing plans and programswhich could be categorized as preventative services.

Prevention services may be described as follows:

The Primary prevention level focuses onpreventing a problem from occurring. Theemphasis is on enhancing positive school climate.One example may be a school program to facilitatea safe school environment.

The Secondary level of prevention focuses onearly indicators of problems. The goal is to shortenthe duration or lessen the impact of a problem.

The Tertiary level focuses on minimizing theimmediate consequences of an existing severeproblem. The emphasis is on regaining controlover a situation so remediation and preventionstrategies can be developed, implemented andassessed.

The whole area of prevention and preventativeplanning responds to a range of complexity orseverity. This requires specialized skill sets whichmay include:


8

It is important that staffunderstand and supportthe purposes andobjectives of schoolcounselling services.

• effective communication skills• conflict resolution• data collection• collaboration• mediation• helping others to solve their own problems and

make informed decisions• specialized knowledge and skills for a consultation

process.

Education

School counsellors may provide direct instruction tostudents in areas such as peer helping, conflictresolution, social skills, and life skills. As well,school counsellors provide support to other educatorsin implementing career and personal planning,promoting positive school climates and enhancing theemotional/social well-being of students.

An ongoing issue in the field of school counselling isa general lack of understanding about what schoolcounsellors do that impacts student outcomes. Schoolcounsellors need to be involved in public relations toeducate their school staff and the school communityon the kinds of services they can provide and topromote the benefits of their services. Manycounsellors post information about their counsellingservices on the school web site and makepresentations to classes throughout the year.

Their educational role may also include:

• disseminating information to parents and otherprofessionals

• monitoring and assessment of the services theyprovide

• acting as a resource for professional andcurriculum development


9

School/communitypublic relations,information sharingand ongoingprofessionaldevelopment helpdevelop support fromthe system for schoolcounselling services.

• speaking publicly at school and/or to communitygroups

• participating in professional development


10

• Specific counselling functions require the intervention of qualified schoolcounsellors and consultant staff.

• School counsellors have a professional responsibility to maintain highstandards of professional competence and ethical behaviour.

School counsellorsmust be qualified forthe services theydeliver.

School Counsellor Qualifications

Personnel delivering school counselling services musthave the necessary qualifications and must adhere tothe Canadian Counselling Associations’s Code ofEthics and Standards of Practice for Counsellors,while keeping in mind relevant legislation andpolicies.

It is essential that School Counsellors meet thefollowing qualifications:

• a professional teaching certificate*

• a Master’s degree in counselling, counsellingpsychology or a related discipline with a focus oncounselling

• graduate course in five of the following areas:

< communication and relationship skills< group counselling< career development< research and evaluation consultation

methods< learning and human development< psychological education< counselling interventions and strategies< multi-cultural counselling< counselling in specialized settings< counselling ethics< psychoeducational assessment


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School counsellorsought always to beengaged in professionaldevelopment.

• be eligible for Canadian Counsellor Certification

(CCC), Canadian Counselling Association

Such credentials limit the potential to engage inpractices that may do harm. School counsellorsshould determine their strengths and limit theircounselling services to those which are within theirprofessional competence.

It is essential for school counsellors to engage incontinuing education and personal care. Schoolcounsellors need the opportunity to engage inprofessional development activities by reading,attending workshops, taking courses, consulting withother professionals and being members ofprofessional organizations such as the CanadianCounselling Association (CCA) and the PrinceEdward Island Counselling Association (PEICA).

* Non-instructional licenses may apply in specialcircumstances.


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• School counsellors effectively organize their time to provide counsellingservices.

It is important forschool counsellors to consider thatscheduling andpriorities should resultin enhancing studentlearning.

Time Management

School counsellors must organize and co-ordinatetheir services as an integral component of the wholeschool program. Ideally, school counselling servicesshould be designed to foster support from both withinand outside the school community to meet thedevelopmental needs of students. Counsellorsestablish services to address student needs which areachievable through a variety of means, includingcurriculum activities, small group and/or individualcounselling, referrals and consultation.To provide a continuum of preventative, remedial andintervention services, it is essential school counsellorsorganize their time to effectively deliver suchservices. Scheduling and priorities should result inenhancing student learning. As an example, it hasbeen suggested that 15 to 20 per cent of your schoolpopulation determines the number of students whomay be in need of individual counselling or directintervention of some kind. Thus, in a schoolpopulation of 500, the school counsellor can estimatethat about 75 to 100 students may need some directservice with some aspect of their growth anddevelopment. Time to deliver this type of interventionneeds to be factored into the school counsellor’soverall schedule.

The schedules of school counsellors are influenced bya number of factors:• priorities established by the particular needs of the

school• addressing unexpected student needs such as a

crisis• developmental needs of all students• need for consultation with teachers, other

professionals and parents/guardians• administrative responsibilities


13

Since school counsellors generally have moreflexibility than classroom teachers in scheduling theirtime, it is important for them to coordinate theirschedules with other school personnel so that theirservices and activities complement one another. This allows the counsellor to accomplish a number ofvaluable results:

• to establish times for individual counselling• to arrange for small group counselling• to consult and/or deliver with classroom teachers

parts of the curriculum• to gain the support and cooperation of fellow

educators

The overall objective is for school counsellors toanalyze their time to ensure they are utilizing iteffectively to meet the identified goals and objectivesof the counselling services of each particular school.


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• School counsellors maintain records in sufficient detail to track the sequenceand nature of the services rendered.

• The school counsellor is the custodian, guardian and manager of thecounselling record.

• Written consent from parents and/or student, as appropriate, is requiredbefore information from the counselling record can be shared.

• School counsellors’ records must be maintained, stored and/or destroyed inaccordance with current school board policy.

“The question thenbecomes one of how tostrike a balancebetween the need tocreate a record ofservices provided, whileminimizing thepotential harm toclients that the recordcould have.”

p.92 Counselling EthicsCasebook 2000

Counsellor Records

Counselling records exist for some students. Schoolcounsellors are required to maintain records to trackthe sequence and nature of the services providedwithin a counselling relationship. The purpose ofthese records is to enhance the counselling processand is not intended to be a means of “gatheringevidence” to diagnose or to further a legal case. It isthe responsibility of the counsellor to inform students,and parents, as appropriate, that counselling recordsare kept and of the purpose of such records.Information collected for such records is maintainedand controlled in a responsible and efficient mannerthat is governed by strict rules of confidentiality.

Record Keeping

Counsellors need to:• record information in an objective, factual

manner• identify clearly personal impressions,

observations and hypotheses as their view• describe behaviour, avoiding the use of

undefined and/or unnecessary adjectives• make and initial their own entries and record

information in a timely manner• note and initial any subsequent alterations or

additions, leaving the original entry legible and


15

Personal information isany information aboutan identifiable person.

The collection ofpersonal information islimited to that which isnecessary for thepurposes identified.

intact, and never erase, delete, or whiteout, etc.• be brief, but ensure information is sufficient to

support continuity of the counselling service

Maintenance of Records

Counselling records are maintained in accordancewith the School Act, School Board Policies andRegulations, Canadian Counselling Association Codeof Ethics and Standards of Practice for Counsellors,and Freedom of Information and Protection ofPrivacy Act. Counsellors have a responsibility to beaware of current laws, legislation and policies relevantto record keeping.

School counsellors maintain counselling records withno less than the following information:

• Basic information< name, date of birth, address, telephone number< name of parent/guardian and/or contact person< reason for referral/visit

• Record of each professional contact< date of contact, length, name(s) of all present< counselling information sufficient to keep track

of counselling issues and progress< correspondence - written, telephone, e-mail< record of consultations regarding client,

including telephone calls and e-mails

• Additional information as pertinent to thecounselling relationship; eg. copies of:< assessment reports prepared by the counsellor,< third party information, consultation notes, case

conference notes< consent forms< copy of outside referrals< relevant outside agency reports


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Personal informationmust be protected bysecurity safeguardsappropriate to thesensitivity of theinformation.

Records may be written, taped, computerized ormaintained in any other medium so long as theirutility, confidentiality, security and preservation areassured, and they cannot be altered without beingdetected.

School counsellors do not leave records on theirdesks, computer screen, in computer files or in anyarea or medium where they can be read by others.

Counselling notes are maintained in a separate, securefile in the school counsellor’s office at the schoolwhere the student attends. Information acquired byschool counsellors that is used for the purpose ofprogram planning for the student is placed in thestudent record, separate from the counselling record.

A record of any assessments completed should beplaced in the student’s cumulative file. Assessmentreports should be placed in a file, separate from thecumulative file, in a secure location within the school,as outlined in Board Policy.

On a yearly basis, school counsellors should reviewall counselling records to ensure they contain onlypertinent, accurate and current information. Transitory notes are to be destroyed. If session notesare summarized, these session notes then becometransitory in nature, and can be destroyed in dueprocess, as outlined in “Storage and Disposal”. Duplicate copies of reports are to be destroyed. Information that has been used to informprogramming decisions for the student is to be placedin the student record, as outlined in Board Policy,separate from the counselling record.

Access to Records

Students have a right of access to their counsellingrecords. Parents/guardians do not have an absoluteright to know all the details of their child’scounselling. Each request for access from aparent/guardian should be evaluated on a “need toknow” basis. Disclosure to others of information


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“Good practice meansthat counsellors ...stayinformed about andfollow information andprivacy policies thatare in place.”

p.98 Counselling EthicsCasebook 2000

from these records only occurs with the writtenconsent of the student, or parent, if deemedappropriate.

School counsellors may be required by law to releaseinformation contained in the counselling record. Otherwise, no person will have access to acounsellor’s records except the school counsellor, theschool counsellor’s successor, or a person authorizedto do so by the PEI School Act and School ActRegulations.

In deciding who has access or to whom informationshould be disclosed, the school counsellor will beguided by the Canadian Counselling AssociationCode of Ethics and Standards of Practice forCounsellors.

Release of Confidential Information to an OutsideAgency

Before information from the counselling record isreleased to an outside agency, written consent must beobtained from the parent/guardian or the student, asappropriate. A copy of the written consent, whichoutlines the information to be released, will bemaintained within the counselling record.

These conditions do not apply when the schoolcounsellor’s notes are subpoenaed.

Transfer

When a school counsellor leaves the school, thecounselling records are transferred to the school counsellor’s successor.

When a student transfers/transitions to another schoolwithin PEI, the counselling record is transferredwhen:


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Personal information isretained only as long asnecessary for thefulfillment of thepurpose for which itwas collected.

< the counsellor at the previous schoolrecommends counselling be continued

< the counsellor at the receiving school requestsit.

< the parent and/or student, as appropriate,requests it

A counsellor who receives such a request shallforward the counselling record in a timely and securemanner.

This transfer will be conducted in consultation withthe student whenever possible.

If a student transfers to a school outside of PEI, thecounselling record is not transferred. Written consentof the parent/guardian or the student, as appropriate,must be obtained before information contained in thecounselling record can be shared. However, thecounselling record itself is not transferred.

Storage and Disposal

All personal information used to make a decisionabout a student must be retained for at least one yearafter its use.

Transitory notes need not be stored and are to bedestroyed shortly after the events to which they relateoccur.

Inactive files are to be stored in a manner that ensureseasy access and identification for disposal.

Inactive files are to be stored for the time periodstipulated by school board/district policy.

Disposal of inactive files is to be carried out in amanner that will ensure no portion of the informationcan be retrieved.


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How are studentsdifferent as a result ofcoming in contact withthe school counsellor?... are they better offbecause of theexperience?

Conclusion

Concern for student development and well-being in acomplex society has been the cornerstone of schoolcounselling services since its inception. In recentyears, this concern has intensified as society hasbecome even more complex. Students must come toterms with their goals, values, abilities, aptitudes andinterests so they can continue to progress socially,educationally and occupationally. The supportstudents receive from school counsellors and othereducators is perhaps expressed most succinctly in a frequently stated guidance goal: Helping studentsbecome all they are capable of becoming.

Adherence to the Minister’s Directive for SchoolCounsellors (MD 2003-03) and to the Standards andGuidelines outlined in this handbook will ensure thatstudents in Prince Edward Island schools have accessto appropriate services offered by qualified personnel.This will foster the development of the necessarystrategies needed by students to deal more effectivelywith the ever changing demands of society.

“We cannot always build the future for our youth,but we can build our youth for the future.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt


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Appendices

Appendix A

Minister’s Directive No. MD 2003-03

Appendix BOperational Definitions

Appendix CSurvey: Role of the School Counsellor


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Appendix A

Minister’s Directive No. MD 2003-03 School CounsellorsSupercedes CIRCULAR 89-08Pursuant to section 8 of the School Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988, Cap. S-2.1, I hereby issuethe following Minister’s Directive concerning School Counsellors.

In this Directive School Counselling refers to:

• Processes which are designed to assist students in the development of selfunderstanding, interpersonal skills, problem solving capabilities and copingstrategies.

• Developmental programming which fosters planned interventions to stimulateand actively facilitate the development of students in all areas; that is, personal,social, emotional, career, moral-ethical, cognitive and aesthetic; and to promotethe integration of the several components into the individual’s life style.

Philosophy

School Counselling services are an integral and essential component of theeducational process for all students as they progress through the educationalsystem. The need for these services is dictated by the complexity of the humangrowth process, the demands on youth and the ever changing nature of society.

The aims of school counselling services, which are based on a developmentalhierarchy, are to provide students with:

• opportunities to develop knowledge and an appreciation of themselves andothers;

• opportunities to develop relationship skills, ethical standards and a sense ofresponsibility;

• opportunities to acquire skills and attitudes necessary to develop educationalgoals which are suited to their needs, interests and abilities;

• information which would enable them to make decisions about life and careeropportunities.

Administrators and teachers contribute to the implementation of these aims, bothinformally and through curriculum, as well as by identifying and referring studentswho have particular needs. Specific counselling functions require the interventionof qualified school counsellors and consultant staff.


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Roles and Responsibilities

1. The Department of Education has the responsibility for coordinating schoolcounselling services. Specifically, the department shall provide the followingservices to School Boards:• Provincial coordination of school counselling programs and services;• Consultation with School Boards regarding the organization, development

and maintenance of school counselling programs and services;• Consultation with School Boards and the Prince Edward Island Counselling

Association in providing in-service training;• Consultation with School Boards and the Prince Edward Island Counselling

Association regarding the preparation of program guidelines and materials;• Maintenance of a process to provide school counselling materials;• Consultation with other government departments.

2. School Boards are expected to maintain school counselling policies and/orregulations which are consistent with the Provincial School CounsellingDirective. Specifically, School Boards are expected to make provision for thefollowing:• School counselling services for all students enrolled in school;• The employment of qualified personnel for school counselling positions;• The establishment of a process for the referral of students which, when

appropriate, includes procedures for obtaining parental permission.

3. Counsellors within the schools are responsible for providing supports andresources to students at all grade levels, to their families and to educators. Theseservices are intended to facilitate the educational, personal, social, emotionaland career development of students in school and in the community.Specifically, school counsellors are expected to provide a continuum ofpreventative, developmental, remedial and intervention services and facilitatereferral to community resources through activities such as:• Provide group and individual counselling;• Assist with communication between school and home;• Assist in identifying learning needs and abilities and in developing

learning/action plans;• Consult with teachers and with other professional agencies for specialized

assistance;• Promote and implement programs and services which ensure that the rights

of children and youth are upheld;• Serve as a member of the school based student services team.


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Qualifications of Counsellors

In order to carry out school counselling functions which are consistent with theaims established in this Directive, it is necessary that individuals who areemployed as school counsellors possess knowledge and skill in this area.

It is essential that counsellors hold a PEI Teaching Certificate and have a graduatedegree in counselling, or equivalent, from an accredited university that includestraining in counselling theory with a supervised counselling practicum.

Additional desirable qualifications include:• teaching experience• graduate course in assessment

DATED this 11th day of June 2003

J. Chester GillanMinister of Education


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Appendix B

Operational DefinitionsFor the purpose of this handbook,

a) “age of majority” means a person who has reached the age of 18 years.

b) “confidential information” means any information generated within acounselling role

c) “destroy”, in respect to a record, means to shred, burn or otherwise physicallydestroy a record other than a record that is in electronic form; and to delete,write over or otherwise render the record inassessible in the case of a recordthat is in electronic form.

d) “dispose” means to destroy a record so that no portion of the record can beretrieved.

e) “inactive file” means a counselling record where a full calendar year haselapsed since the last counselling involvement.

f) “record” means a document in any form (paper, computer file, audio or visualrecording) containing personal information about a student.

g) “third party information” means any information which is not gained directlyfrom the student by the school counsellor.

h) “transitory notes” means notes that contain information which are: i) no longer required for the purpose for which it was disclosedii) not required to provide evidence of decision makingiii) not related to ongoing issues over an extended period of timeiv) not related to issues which, in the counsellor’s judgement, have

a likeliness of resurfacing.


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Appendix C

The Role of the School CounsellorJohn Schmidt (1999) summed up the importance of school counsellors definingtheir role within the school community:

The future of school counselling as a profession depends on the ability ofcounsellors to become an integral part of the school setting while maintainingtheir unique role and contribution to student welfare and development. Toaccomplish this goal, effective counsellors identify their role; select appropriatefunctions; plan programs and services for students, parents/guardians, andteachers; strengthen their professional development; and evaluate theireffectiveness in schools. (p. 26)

Since all educators are involved in enhancing and promoting student learning, aschool staff needs to be involved in the decision of what services and programs theschool can provide to meet the identified needs of the school population. Theservices and roles may vary from school to school, depending on the size andneeds of a school population and the availability of services due to staffingallocations.

The following survey may be a helpful tool to evaluate the current counsellingservices provided at your school. If completed by the school staff, it will providean opportunity for the entire school staff to have a better understanding of the rolesand responsibilities of the school counsellor and provide input on how the schoolcounsellor can best meet the identified learning needs and serve the best interestsof the students in the school.


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Survey: School Counselling Services

CurrentStatus

Description of Core Services Priority forImprovement

InPlace

Not inPlace

Counselling High Med Low

Provide individual counsellingProvide group counsellingConsultation, Planning and Coordination

Organize and administer school counsellingservicesMonitor and assess school counsellingservicesConsult/share information with teachers andparents regarding referralsConsult with special education/resourceteacher and student services team for theorganization and development ofIndividualized Education Plans (IEPs) andparticipate in the placement of exceptionalstudents in special programsOrganize and/or participate in caseconferencesWork in partnership with parents, teachers,school administration, public health, socialservices and other outside agenciesParticipate in the orientation/transition ofstudents entering and/or leaving schoolCoordinate career educational experiencesCoordinate student programs (eg. Exchange,peer education/helping/tutoring, postsecondary days, etc)


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Prepare letters of recommendation,transcripts of marks, and confidentialinformation to outside agenciesFacilitate scholarship and bursaryinformationProvide post secondary information andservices to students

PreventionConduct student assessments as requiredParticipate in Personal Safety ProgramsDirect delivery of programs on social skillsdevelopment and other relevant issuesFacilitate/conduct training in peer helpingconflict resolution, mediation, etc.

EducationProvide orientation to staff on thephilosophy of school counselling servicesAct as a resource for development ofspecialized programmingAssist in/provide materials for thedevelopment of personal and career decisionmaking skillsContribute to public education oncounselling related issuesCoordinate public relations for schoolcounselling servicesEngage in continued professional growth

Other


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References Comprehensive School Guidance & Counselling Programs and Services. 1997.Alberta Education. Special Education Branch

Code of Ethics. May, 1999. Canadian Counselling Association

Implementing a Comprehensive and Developmental School Counselling Program. April 2003. New Brunswick Department of Education

Laws of Prince Edward Island. 1993. School Act

Minister’s Directive No. MD 2003-03 School Counsellors. 2003. Prince EdwardIsland Department of Education

Role of the Counsellor. 1988. Prince Edward Island Guidance and CounsellingAssociation and the Prince Edward Island Department of Education

Schmidt, J. J. 1999. Counselling in schools: Essential services and comprehensiveprograms. 3rd Ed. Toronto ON: Allyn and Bacon.

Schulz, William E. 2000. Counselling Ethics Casebook 2000, Second Edition. Ottawa ON: Canadian Counselling Association

Special Education Services. A manual of Policies, Procedures andGuidelines.1995. Counselling in Schools. Special Programs Branch. BritishColumbia Ministry of Education.

Standards of Practice for Counsellors. 2001. Canadian Counselling Association

Handbook for Counsellors - Government of PEI: Home · PDF fileSchool Counselling Services 1...

Documents

Transcript of Handbook for Counsellors - Government of PEI: Home · PDF fileSchool Counselling Services 1...