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21st April 2022
11:00am BST

Proposing the motion, INTO member Órlaith Ní Fhoghlú said that a lack of early intervention supports in primary schools is a “vicious cycle” leading to longer waiting lists for child adolescent community mental health services (Camhs), and teens with more acute issues. She said:
Teachers at the Congress spoke about their pupils being unable to access the mental health supports they need, and said the number of pupils at primary level seeking behavioural and emotional interventions has increased.
“Early intervention works,” Ní Fhoghlú explained.
"School-based mental health supports; it isn’t groundbreaking stuff. It’s something that we’ve repeatedly asked of minister after minister for education."
She added:Róisín Nic Tighearnáin, a delegate from the Mullingar INTO, agreed:
"I really feel that emotional health and wellbeing have become a buzzword, and I’m sick sore and tired of the platitudes that are being spoken about… children in our special classes have not got access to appropriate psychological services, that’s as it is, and we are at the cold face of that day in, day out."
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Fiona Garvey, a delegate from Cork City South East branch, revealed that there are currently children that the system is failing, and that teachers have a “duty of care” to call for support to be put in place.“When society has an itch, schools are expected to scratch it,” she said.
Members of the INTO are now calling for a national framework to be put in place, to develop counselling services for primary school children, and the introduce on-site school counselling in primary schools in line with international best practices.
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