Counselling

At the Richard Barnes Academy, we understand the pressures that young people have to endure.  Counselling can help young people to build resilience which they can then use both in the school (in and out of lessons) and in their personal lives.

Our Academy Counsellor is Sarah Tolley.

The role of a counsellor is to provide support emotionally to children and young people who may be struggling to regulate emotions in their day-to-day life and during school.  Counselling provides the opportunity for children to talk about things that are concerning them. Counsellors are good at relating to children and are trained to listen without judging them.  Counselling can help children to improve the way they feel about themselves and to think about issues in a different way. 

Is there a Confidentiality Agreement?

The Counsellor will not discuss what a child has said to them in the sessions unless there is extreme concern for their well-being.

If there is concern that a child or someone they know may be at risk or in danger, the Counsellor will need to inform other school staff and potentially external agencies and parents/carers in order to ensure the young person’s safety.

The Counsellor is part of the school staff and understands the school, working with teachers and pastoral staff to help your son/ daughter.

 

Will parents/carers always be informed?

Children who ask for counselling and are capable of fully understanding what is involved, may get counselling without the permission of a parent/carer.  This confidentiality is crucial for establishing trust between the Counsellor and pupil so that they can feel confident to speak openly and freely about their concerns. If you have strong feelings about this, please let us know. 

Students are able to refer themselves to counselling. Teachers, support staff and parents can raise a referral through the Head of Campus or Deputy Head of Campus.