New Plan comes after many years of lobbying by the IACP
The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) has welcomed the news that the Government intends to invest €5 million in piloting a programme of counselling supports for children.
After many years of advocating for counselling and psychotherapy supports for school children including in their recent 2023 Pre-Budget Submission, the IACP believes the new pilot plan announced by Norma Foley at the Fianna Fáil’s Árdfheis over the weekend is a positive step for the country.
Speaking this morning IACP CEO Lisa Molloy stated:
“I welcome the latest news of the allocation of €5 million for in-school counselling. There is an urgent need for services to address the mental health issues facing children and young people across Ireland. This pilot scheme is a positive step towards giving our children and young people access to the help they need, when they need it. Following the impact of Covid-19 and related restrictions, concerns over children’s mental health have increased”.
A nationally representative general public survey, commissioned by the IACP and conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes (B&A) earlier this year clearly demonstrates the support of the public for this essential service. It found that 94% of people think that it is important for children/adolescents to have access to counselling/ psychotherapy if they are struggling with their mental health
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For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the IACP Communications Department - Nicole Mac Dermott nicole@iacp.ie 087 720 6033 or Wayne Tobin wayne@iacp.ie
Notes to the Editor:
About IACP:
The IACP was established in 1981 to identify, develop and maintain professional standards of excellence in counselling and psychotherapy. Our work promotes best practice and the development of the profession. The IACP represents more than 5,000 members based in communities all over the country and is the largest Counselling and Psychotherapy Association in Ireland. More information is available from the IACP’s website www.iacp.ie.
IACP Pre-Budget Submission 2023:
IACP Pre-Budget Submission: https://iacp.ie/iacp-pre-budget-submission-2023
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