Young people's perceptions of their experience of counselling in a school setting: A qualitative study

Abstract

This study examines young peoples’ experiences of counselling in a school setting. Five young people who received counselling in their school were interviewed individually and their responses analysed using the constant comparative method. The results highlight four particular areas that would be helpful to address if a school were considering setting up a counselling service. The findings emphasise the importance young people place on autonomy around the disclosure of the fact they are attending counselling, as well as the actual content of counselling sessions. They suggest that many young people would prefer to have counselling in their school, rather than at another venue. The young people interviewed identify certain qualities in the counsellor that facilitate an effective counselling relationship, and finally how many of their peers were unaware of the nature and existence of a counselling service in their school. The relevance of the outcomes to the effective counselling of young people are discussed.