Counselor Concerns & Recommendations

Early and comprehensive intervention by schools and community out-reach groups is critically important if at-risk children from dysfunctional homes are to be prevented from embracing negative lifestyles, say CedarBridge Academy guidance counselors.

Appearing before Friday’s session of the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Gun Violence and Violent Crimes, CedarBridge’s Clindel Lowe presented a report outlining the concerns and recommendations of school counsellors.

The presentation said school counselling programmes reinforced by initiatives spearheaded by such community groups as  the Women’s Resource Centre, The Physical Abuse Centre and Bermuda Youth Counselling Services were essential in terms of reaching children growing up in homes where dyfunctionality was the norm.

“School counsellors are finding that with the increase of issues – especially those related to violent crimes and gun violence — we are referring students and families to outside agencies for long-term support,” said the report. ”Some school are partnering with agencies such as Bermuda Youth Counseling Services and The Family Centre in order to address the fallout in the schools.  However, with the referrals and partnerships, we still find ourselves needing more resources because even those outside agencies are becoming overwhelmed.”

The presentation, which appears in full below, recommended by school guidance programmes as well as the services operated by outside agencies need to be stepped up if all of the children at risk of drifting into criminality are to be helped.

Concerns:

• 1. In our schools, there are students who have lost parents, family members and friends due to death by guns, violent crimes, or incarceration because of their involvement with such. We also have students who know the distinct sound of gunshots and were present at the scene of a death by gun violence or another violent crime. We have students who when reading stories break down in tears. We also see their art work expressions of concern and fear. Their writings in class express their concerns for safety, their overwhelming sense of fear, and even their indirect involvement in such activities. “What if”, gets asked often. It is paramount that communities be kept safe and that the proactive strategies of surveillance and community policing also take place.

• 2. Most School Counselors see that there is a direct correlation between economic struggle and family dysfunction. We recognize that there are families who are heavily involved in the drug industry simply because they see it as their primary means of economic survival. We have students who go home to no supervision, no prepared meals and no structured homework time (not even a quiet place to study). We even have students who come to school without breakfast or lunch or money for either. Many schools have lunch and breakfast programs but it has grown over the months and years to where some school are requiring more support. There are many students who remain at school well after 3:30 to complete assignments, study or just to stay in a safe, quiet, and structured environment as long as possible.

• 3. Early intervention is important. Counselors and other school officials ares able to identify high risk students early in their educational careers. Sometimes with all of the counseling and support they receive from outside agencies and within the school, it is not enough when they have to return home every night to homes where criminal activity, violence and dysfunction is normal.

• 4. Some schools have been addressing the issue of violence since the issue became prevalent. There has been an emphasis on bullying where it was stressed how simple ‘school bullying’ can be habitual and lead to further deviant behavior in the future; making it easier to get involved in gang activity, etc. As resources, groups such as ‘Cartel’, the Women’s Resource Centre, The Physical Abuse Centre, Bermuda Youth Counseling Services and others come in and address the boys and girls separately on the roles of group, gangs, etc and how and why people join gangs. With this already in place, there is still a need for more. This is just scratching the surface of the type of positive and educational exposure needed on these topics.

• 5. The current School Counselor Program is comprehensive. We deliver a strong career and guidance component that assists the students and parents at every level in good academic choices that lead to good career choices. This includes exposing the students to various careers available in Bermuda and around the world. Along with this, we do what is called System Support. We provide assistance with lunch duty, exam invigilation, schedule checks and wherever else school administrators need us to be. We also provide Individual Counseling where we engage in one-one-one or group counseling with students with social and/or emotional issues. With the delivery of a comprehensive program, our time and resources are limited for Individual Counseling. School Counselors are finding that with the increase of issues especially those related to violent crimes and gun violence, we are referring students and families to outside agencies for long-term support. Some school are partnering with agencies such as Bermuda Youth Counseling Services and The Family Centre in order to address the fallout in the schools. However, with the referrals and partnerships, we still find ourselves needing more resources because even those outside agencies are becoming overwhelmed. Here is a summarized outline of the comprehensive school counselor program that is currently in place.

The 4 Components of the School Counselor Program

Classroom Guidance:

(Source: Role Statement of the American School Counselor Association)

• Classroom guidance sessions offer one of the best opportunities to provide guidance to a large number of students in a school. School counselors consider students’ developmental levels when preparing their specific lessons. For example, a classroom guidance presentation for elementary children will be more concrete than one for senior level students. In elementary and middle school, the lessons may be delivered in the classroom, where in high school guidance lessons are mostly delivered in assemblies, advisory, and in student workshops. Children at all levels will benefit from various modes of program delivery.

Individual Planning:

• Individual planning sessions provide opportunities for all students and their parents/guardians to develop and monitor a plan for their personal, social, educational and vocational development. The sessions aim to assist students with setting and monitoring goals and understanding their own development.

Responsive Services:

• Counselors respond to the immediate needs of students for the purpose of prevention and intervention. These services may be delivered in individual or group counseling sessions as well as during consultation and crisis management. Referrals are included here as well.

System Support:

• School counselors need support from the educational community in order to effectively deliver the first three components of the school counseling program. Support from the educational community may include administrative support, policies and procedures, budget provisions, adequate facilities and equipment, planning time and professional development.

Recommendations:

• 1. Ensure that School Resource Officers are in schools building relationships with students at all levels. They need to be more visible on school property, not as security. The presence of the Resource Officers could make the student feel safe and help foster a more positive relationship with them from a young age. Resource officers who were placed in the school several years ago but are no longer as visible, were seen to be a positive addition to the School family.

• 2. More after-school programs are needed at every level including Senior School. These programs should include organized sports, music, art, performing arts, leadership, and community service clubs and groups. Some schools run these already but could do more if such programs were funded. Additionally, meal programs are needed for some students. Many schools are providing breakfast and lunch for students but additional funding for such programs is necessary in order to meet the need.

• 3. There is a need for a non-punitive residential facility that provides a nurturing environment that allows the student to focus on school and positive extracurricular activities which will foster good personal development. This program would not remove the children from their home in the sense that their parent have no contact but instead a program that supports the parents in an effort to do what is best for the child and provide them with an opportunity that is similar to that of Boarding School. If a child is able complete their educational career successfully in S4, they are less likely to get involved in criminal activities and are more likely to be successful in other aspects of their lives.

• 4. With the number referrals and partnerships already in place in the schools, we still find ourselves needing more resources. Additional School Counselors are needed, along with Clinical Counselors and/or Clinical Psychologists assigned specifically to the Ministry of Education would be helpful. In order for the comprehensive programs to be more effective, the additional resources regarding staffing is necessary.

• 5. Persons who are specifically trained in dealing with violent crimes, gang activity and trauma can come into the schools to address this topic on a routine basis with staff and students. This can be done through workshops, assemblies, training for staff, staff meeting etc.

Overall, the School Counselors are assisting the community by supporting those affected but would be able to do more with additional resources. We have also found that the students both those who are involved, directly impacted or indirectly impacted, want a solution but again we need the resources to make this happen.

#BermudaTeens #CrimeInBermuda #JointSelectCommitteeOnViolentCrimeAndGunViolence

Category: All, News