New Study to Investigate the Impact of COVID-19 on School Counselling Services
- Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Researchers at the University of Roehampton have launched a major new survey to canvas counsellors and psychotherapists working in schools across the UK to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their ability to deliver sessions.
The survey has been developed by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and Professor Mick Cooper and Dr Jess Bryant of the University of Roehampton. They aim to reach up to 10,000 counsellors and psychotherapists working in primary and secondary schools and Further Education colleges across the UK to find out how the profession is responding to COVID-19. They’ll examine how many practitioners have been able to continue their sessions with children and young people (ages 5–18 years old), in what forms they have been able to deliver counselling, as well as what barriers have prevented some counselling sessions continuing.
By developing a clear picture of what is happening with regards to school and college-based therapy, the researchers aim to influence policy makers to ensure the highest standard of service is delivered for children and young people.
Professor Mick Cooper, from the Centre for Research in Social and Psychological Transformation (CREST) at the University of Roehampton said, “COVID-19 seems to have changed the landscape of mental health service delivery for children and young people. Usually, as many as 100,000 would see a counsellor every year. With children and young people no longer in school, we have concerns about the levels of mental health support that they are now receiving—and likely to receive while restrictions are in place. It is essential that all children and young people get the mental health support they need at this critical time.”
The survey can be found here: https://response.questback.com/bacp/school_college_therapy
It can be completed by any individual who provides school or college-based therapy to children and young people in the UK, regardless of whether or not you have practiced since the restrictions related to COVID-19 came into effect.
You can hear from Professor Mick Cooper and Jo Holmes from BACP discussing the importance of this nationwide survey here.
For general queries or further information about this survey, please contact Duncan McCaig (Senior Research Fellow, BACP) at research@bacp.co.uk.