Guidance and Social Work
BATCE Guidance Counselling and School Social Work
In support of the Bishop Anstey High School East, Trinity College East and BATCE Sixth Form community, BATCE is appropriately staffed with experienced Guidance Counsellors and School Social Workers. Typically classed under the category of Student Support Workers, these professionals contribute to a school environment that recognizes and responds to the collective and individual personal and social development needs of children and their families.
Guidance & Counselling
Guidance Counsellors are charged to assist in student development using mainly a two-pronged approach. An important facet of school counselling is the implementation of a group guidance (classroom) curriculum that develops students’ study skills, personal awareness, interpersonal skills, and career development skills. These guidance lessons are focused on preventing a range of issues such as exam anxiety, substance abuse and addiction, bullying, lack of conflict resolution and communication skills, and lack of preparedness for life after secondary school.
In addition to the preventative mode of work described above, Guidance Counsellors also respond to the identified needs of individual students by engaging in counselling and consultation with students, parents and members of staff.
While classroom and counselling sessions are the main delivery modes for achieving Guidance & Counselling objectives, you will also see your Guidance Counsellor at assemblies, doing (sometimes fun) quizzes or surveys, sponsoring a poster contest, or disseminating brochures/flyers. Whatever helps get the job done – our overarching goal is to educate and inform young people to help them consistently make good decisions and to courageously surmount any obstacles to attaining their life goals.
School Social Work
School social work exists to provide psycho-social support to students and their families that will enable the developmental and educational success of the student. With the understanding that learning does not exist in isolation, integral factors such as physiological needs, love and belonging, safety, and mental wellness, must be addressed in order for a child to thrive. As such, our scheme of work involves crisis intervention and counselling services for a range of issues including, but not limited to, mental health, abuse, neglect, chronic absenteeism, or financial challenges.
Care and Protection is a dominant theme in our sphere of work; is the child being cared for adequately? Are they in a safe environment? Are they being treated with love and respect? Consequently, advocating for the child’s rights is a primary facet of our intervention.
Primarily, Individual counselling, reporting and referring cases to the relevant authorities and support services, as well as guiding families to available social services, are all a routine part of the job. Our objective is to provide a safe space where students can express themselves in a confidential and non-judgmental environment where love, acceptance and genuine concern exist.
Supporting Our Students
The scale and diversity of challenges that can impact on our youth and their families can appear to be overwhelming. BATCE’s response requires a team effort to dampen any adverse effects on the developing mind and to maintain the adolescent’s trajectory towards academic and social success. Your BATCE Guidance Counsellors and School Social Workers are proud of and committed to their role as we work together to create balanced, authentic and resourceful young leaders.
Personnel - Guidance
Roslyn Inniss
Marlon Alexander
Mitzi Hall – Denny
Personnel - Social Work
Cherrise Williams – Idemudia