World Mental Health Day shines a spotlight on the the importance of learning to cope with life’s challenges. This is a vital part of a well-rounded education, enabling young people to develop into emotionally resilient adults. At Loughborough Schools Foundation, experienced, and highly qualified Counsellors are embedded into all three schools to ensure that pupils receive specialist support during the times when their needs go beyond the guidance of the Schools’ Pastoral Teams.
All children and young people go through times of change, and this can cause pressure and stress that some find hard to manage on their own. Through first-response support, long term issues can be prevented from developing. Particularly now, when NHS waiting lists are so long, the ability for a pupil to see an accredited Counsellor, usually within a week, is invaluable.
Hilary Foster, Counsellor at Loughborough Grammar School, has a strong understanding of the education system having previously held the role of Deputy Head at a large secondary school in Leicester. This first-hand insight into the potential of school life to conflict with outside issues or cause additional stress gives Hilary a unique perspective when it comes to providing counselling support for pupils.
Hilary retrained as a Psychotherapist due to her passion for supporting students and their families, as well as for creating a dedicated environment within school for pupils to receive support. Alongside Form Tutors, Subject Tutors and Heads of Year, Hilary is a vital part of the pastoral team who focus on taking a proactive approach to pupils’ mental and emotional health.
Pupils are signposted to the Counselling Hub where they can access a range of resources as well as book appointments. Pupils can also be referred to the Counsellor by any member of staff or by their parents. The range of ways in which pupils can access support allows the pastoral team to intervene quickly when issues arise, with the correct tools to begin helping the pupil to navigate through the things that may be concerning them.
As an integrative therapist, Hilary uses a whole range of different approaches to ensure the needs of the individual are met. This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or creative counselling which provides pupils who find it difficult to voice their feelings with an alternative outlet. All techniques and methods used aim to equip pupils with the correct tools to develop their emotional resilience.
Sessions begin as a six-week block, but assessments are made to ensure that boys receive continued support where necessary. Boys are also made aware that they can come back to see the Counsellor at any point during their school journey – the ‘open door’ approach builds rapport between Hilary and pupils to ensure they know how to access support when needed.
I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work in a one-to-one way with pupils here at Loughborough Grammar School and to see the ways in which the work we do makes a real difference to them. It’s wonderful to see them go on and thrive.
Hilary Foster, Counsellor
Counsellors from all three schools also work closely together and meet around once a month as a peer group to ensure a consistent approach in terms of referral process and person-centred techniques is being used across the Foundation. This is useful when it comes to pupil transitions between schools or when providing support with issues which may affect siblings attending different schools within the Foundation.
This unique, interwoven network brings together the experiences and qualifications of four specialist Counsellors to ensure pupils have access to a direct and integral source of support to help them excel in education and beyond.
