Union warning on school psychologist

THE lack of psychological services in schools is contributing to the demoralisation of pupils, many of whom leave school early, according to a policy document to be launched today by the trade union, Impact.

Some 80 per cent of primary students have no access to an educational psychologist. At second level, the ratio of psychologists to pupils is six times worse than that in Scotland, according to Impact.

The union is calling for a fivefold increase in psychologist numbers employed by the Department of Education. Otherwise, it warns, children with emotional difficulties will not be identified early enough.

The report, Support Children: A Psychological Service to Schools, argues that as pupil numbers fall, some teaching posts should be converting into psychologists' posts. The extra resources should be allocated on a phased basis so that the current equivalent number of 33.5 psychologists could be boosted to 215.

Educational psychologists deal with relationships and sexuality education, anti drugs work, building pupils self esteem, combating bullying and addressing learning difficulties.

At second level, the psychological service, established 30 years ago, operates on a one psychologist to 18,000 pupils ratio. In primary schools, a pilot project employing four psychologists was introduced in south Tipperary and west Dublin in 1990. Three years ago, 10 more psychologists were recruited but the service still only covers 20 per cent of pupils.