Counsellor roles and perceptions of training

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a study that involved 236 primary and secondary school counsellors employed by the Queensland Department of Education. The study was undertaken as a formative evaluation process prior to the redevelopment of the counsellor education program offered by the Department of Education at The University of Queensland. The survey questionnaire asked informants to evaluate the importance of various practices and skills and the degree to which these were developed during training. Another section of the questionnaire asked counsellors to identify the relevance of several conceptual or knowledge bases to their day-to-day counselling practice and, again, how well these were covered during counsellor training. The results have provided an understanding of the identity of counsellors in primary and secondary settings based upon their perceptions, and indicated areas in which counsellor education can be augmented.