No money for in-school counselling, campaign group told

A campaign group is “disappointed” at being told the council can’t afford to support its call for a counsellor in every school.

Brighton and Hove Citizens, an alliance of headteachers, faith groups and community groups, asked council leader Phelim MacCafferty and deputy chief executive of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Usman Niazi to support the proposal at its annual assembly last Thursday.

It also called for all carers to earn the Real Living Wage and to place a mental health worker in local food banks – which also failed to secure any commitments.

But it was left hopeful after none of its proposals was met with a hard no.

The assembly was held at Varndean School, which is part of the alliance. Headteacher Shelley Baker said: “We were disappointed by the outcome.

“However, we’re hopeful the promise of some meetings means that it could be something that is then piloted or introduced in the future.

“So it doesn’t feel like a no, it feels more like a maybe.”

The assembly was attended by about 300 people, including Varndean School pupils, University of Sussex students and community organisations such as One Church, Community Base and Brighton and Hove UNISON.

Personal testimonies were heard from young people struggling with their mental health who have been unable to access support due to an overwhelmed system.

The assembly heard the estimated cost of a roll out of in-school counselling across the city would be approximately £2 million.

A representative from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy committed to independently evaluate any pilot scheme at no cost.

Cllr MacCafferty said: “We recognise that over the last few years things have been really tough for young people and for educators and the people who work in our schools.

“We’ve had 12 years of government funding cuts. Our funding is the starkest I’ve ever known it in 12 years of being a councillor.

“Having said that we are taking a series of actions, we’re increasing our mental health support in schools, we’re enhancing our schools wellbeing service, we’re expanding children and young people’s wellbeing services, we’re expanding specialist CAMHS we’ve and developing support in pathways for things like eating disorders and developing a single point of access.

“Counselling is only one tool in our toolbox. We have to think in the round about what’s going to work best for children and young people.

“The commitment nonetheless is that we recognise what this is doing to our children and young people, and we’re going to work with you to try and do what we can.”

Brighton and Hove Citizens, founded in 2019, publicly campaigns on issues decided amongst members at regular meetings.

Last week’s annual assembly also celebrated successful campaigns to reinstate accessible toilets in Hove, developing virtual waiting rooms for patients on waiting lists for key appointments, creating a single-point of access for referrals to key services and persuading local care/nursing home management to pay the Real Living Wage to their staff.

Mrs Baker said: “Each time we hold an assembly, there’s more people there.

“We’re building up a lot of support and we’re the biggest alliance in the city so I think we’ve got a lot of power.”