Opposition says P.E.I. government needs to do more to get counsellors into all Island schools

P.E.I.'s Official Opposition says more needs to be done to get counsellors in all Island schools and to better support them once they're there.

Opposition critic for education and lifelong learningKarla Bernard raised concerns about the lack of counsellors in P.E.I.'s schools during question periodThursday.

Bernard said there are currently 34 Island schools without a full-time counsellor and she's heard from school counsellors who say they are struggling to meet the ever-growing needs of students. She asked the minister of education and lifelong learning whymore hasn't been done to get counsellors in all Islandschools.

"A couple of school counsellorsrecently asked me ifthe minister was aware that one in five Island children have been abused and that a single counsellor in many cases is expected to serve up to 400 students?" she said.

"Are you not aware of these concerns or are you just not doing anything about them."

Minister Brad Trivers saidstudent mental health and well-being is a top priority and something the department takes very seriously.

"It really is such an astounding statistic to think that one in five children are victims of trauma and one in five has suffered from abuse,"Trivers said.

Trivers said the department hasincreased supports for students by adding an additional full-time counselling consultant bringing the total number on P.E.I. to six who work to support school counsellors across the Island.

According to the department, there are currently52 full-time counsellors working in the Public Schools Branch and the French Language School Board.

He said some schools also havewell-being teams, which serve several schools and include nurses and outreach workers.

Counsellors in every school

Bernard said while student well-being teams are a great complement to the work counsellors do, they cannot replace the work being done by counsellors who are in schools every day.

"School counsellors are telling me that children's lives are at stake and it certainly doesn't look like this government understands," Bernard said.

She asked Trivers if he would follow through on the commitment he made during the last sitting of the legislatureto make student mental health a top priority, by having at least one full-time counsellor in every Island school.

"I am going to keep that commitment," Trivers said. "I believe if all goes well in the very near future we're going to see some really good news on this front."

But, Trivers said one of the challenges the province isfacing is finding qualified peopleto hire.

"There's a huge challenge right now, getting individuals who are qualified counsellors," Trivers said.

He said there are a number peoplecurrently working within Island schoolsaspart-time counsellorsand part-time teachers and the department is exploring the idea of making some of those staff full-time counsellors.

Bernard saidshe's growing increasingly frustrated with the situation in Island schools and will continueto bring these concerns to the attention of the minister.

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