School counselling services are yet another educational resource falling victim to cuts - but, a west Belfast primary principal says, counsellors are crucial to properly serving the pupils and young people in school communities.
Principals were told funding would end on 30 June and would not be replaced.
"My teachers are amazing but we are teachers - we are not counsellors; we're not social workers," Ms Keegan added. Barnardo's is one of the largest providers of counselling services to primary schools in Northern Ireland. Ms Harris also said that without school counselling services, children's emotional needs "will escalate when they cannot get the support when and where they want it" - leading parents and guardians to turn to statutory agencies, which are experiencing stubbornly long waiting lists.
The schools received sums of between £1,000 to about £33,000 in 2022/23, depending on their pupil numbers and needs.
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