Carlow primary schools to receive mental health supports under a new pilot programme

The Minister for Education, Norma Foley, was asked to clarify the projected cost of the current pilot programme of counselling supports for primary school pupils and the projected cost of a nationwide roll-out.

€5m in Budget 2023 has been set aside for this pilot programme providing counselling and mental health supports in primary schools which will be rolled out in the school year 2023/24.  

There are two strands in the pilot. Strand 1 will see the provision of one-to-one counselling to support some children in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary.

Strand 2 will see the establishment of a new type of support from Education Wellbeing/Mental Health Teams for clusters of primary schools. This Strand will also see the introduction of Education Wellbeing/Mental Health Practitioners, who will work as part of a team under the direction and supervision of NEPS in schools across Cork, Dublin 7, Dublin 16 and Carlow.

It is anticipated that the majority of the €5m budget will be spent on payment to counsellors in Strand 1 in the school year 2023/24.  

An evaluation of the pilot will be carried out which will consider the feasibility of a national rollout including potential costs.