'Significant increase' in students seeking school-based counselling in Jersey

  • Daniela Raffio is leading the redesign of Jersey's mental health strategy and tells ITV Channel's Jonathan Wills why she feels the number of children needing counselling has risen so dramatically

Jersey's government say there has been a significant increase in the number of young people asking for counselling at school.

Around 1,200 students sought counselling during the last academic year.

It comes just days after the publication of a new government plan to improve children and young people's mental health in Jersey.

Assistant Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Trevor Pointon, said: "Providing love, nurture and support throughout childhood is critical to enable children and young people to reach their full potential and to thrive."

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Each school counselling session runs between 30 to 50 minutes - students can put themselves forward or be referred by a parent or teacher.

The counsellors are trained to help with issues like exam stress, bullying and general feelings of despair.

The vast majority of cases do not require onward referral to more specialist mental health services, which the government says "highlights the importance of the preventative value of school-based counselling."

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The government have also partnered with the Anna Freud Centre to try and improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people.

The centre will conduct an independent review of current support in primary, secondary and post-16 education to find out what is working and where more help is needed.

This will then be used to create an action plan for mental health support in schools.