Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
How do I become a Guidance Counsellor?
Answer:
There are currently three providers of Masters programmes in Guidance Counselling – DCU, Maynooth and UL. For further information on accredited courses please see here.
Question:
What are the IGC Protocols around expenses?
Answer:
The IGC Policy on expenses can be found here: IGC Policy on expenses and some FAQs 2023
Question:
How do I calculate the guidance allocation for my school?
Answer:
The Schedule of Posts sent to schools will indicate the allocation for guidance for your school. If you don’t have access to this but know the enrolment for your school for the previous year, you can calculate the allocation by using the allocation calculators. That can be found in each members personal dashboard under ‘News and Updates’
ALLOCATIONS CALCULATOR: HOW DOES IT WORK?
- Divide your enrolment for last year by 19 (which is the normal pupil teacher ratio for the school).
- Divide your enrolment for last year by the revised pupil teacher ratio for guidance (as per circulars below) eg: by 17.65 for a DEIS school, by 18.4 for a Non DEIS school, and 18.6 for a Fee Paying School.
- The difference between these two figures is the number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff which should be employed
- To calculate the number of hours of guidance, multiply the WTE number by 22, to find the number of hours of guidance per week for your student body.
- The allocation calculators will do the work for you. Simply download the excel sheet or open the google docs sheet and fill in your school enrolment for the 2024/2025 year.
The relevant Department circulars are listed here:
- 0008/2024: Staffing Arrangements in Voluntary Post-Primary Schools for the 2024/25 School Year
- 0009/2024: Staffing arrangements in Community and Comprehensive Schools for 2024/25 School Year
- 0010/2024: Staffing Arrangements in Education and Training Boards for 2024/25 School Year
Question:
What are the requirements to practice guidance counselling in an Irish second level school?
Answer:
Firstly, you must register with the Teaching Council of Ireland. The Teaching Council require that you must have a Post Graduate Diploma in Education, MEd or equivalent in addition to your guidance counselling qualification. An approved qualification in Guidance Counselling is not, of itself, sufficient for practice with second level students though it may be sufficient for working with PLC students or adults. The Inspectorate and IGC also strongly recommend, especially for those working with students/young people, that guidance counsellors attend regular CPD and Counselling Supervision sessions whilst in practice.
Question:
Why should I register with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors?
Answer:
It is important for professionals in any field to sign up and adhere to a recognised code of ethics. This protects both the professional and those with whom they work. Through IGC, as the professional body for guidance counsellors in Ireland, members can avail of appropriate and up-to-date CPD, both in their local branch venues and at national CPD events such as our National Conference. They can also benefit from the supports of their local colleagues and networking with stakeholders through their branch.
Question:
I am a newly qualified guidance counsellor working in second level and wish to join a supervision group in my area. How do I get details of my local group?
Answer:
Counselling supervision is a formal collaborative process intended to help supervisees maintain ethical and professional standards of practice and enhance creativity. The primary purpose of supervision is to enhance the competence and the counselling skills of the counsellor who is being supervised. It assists guidance counsellors in maintaining and enhancing their competence by providing continuing clinical skill development, ongoing consultation regarding legal and ethical issues, and a professional support system that can mitigate stress and burnout.
Counselling supervision provides supervisees with the opportunity on a regular basis to discuss and monitor their work with clients. It should take account of the setting in which supervisees practise. Supervision is intended to ensure that the needs of the clients are being addressed and to monitor the effectiveness of the therapeutic interventions of the guidance counsellor.
To join a supervision group in your locality, click here to find the contact details of the supervision coordinator in your nearest branch centre.
Question:
I am a guidance counsellor, however my qualification arises from outside of the state. Will this certification be recognised by IGC?
Answer:
Applications for membership are examined on a case-by-case basis by our Qualifications and Membership Subcommittee. In order to process a query, applicants are asked to submit a full transcript from their awarding body to our office. The subcommittee will then advise on any further course of action/additional credits required for membership.
Question:
How do I become a member of the IGC?
Answer:
Students and fully qualified guidance counsellors can become members of the IGC by filling out an application form and following the process below. You can find the forms here: Membership process
Students: Students are required to get the signature of their course director and submit their fully completed form, along with their application fee, to our head office.
Fully Qualified: If you are fully qualified, you are required to submit a transcript of your grades from the awarding institution with the completed application form and the fee to our head office.
The applications are then presented to the Qualifications and Membership subcommittee of the National Executive. This committee meets once a month, presently that is the second Saturday of every month, from September to May. Applications need to be at Head Office ten days prior to the meeting. If any of the above elements are not presented with your completed form at the time of your application, then it will not be put forward for ratification.
If you have been a student member of the IGC and have completed your degree, then it is necessary to submit an application for fully qualified status.
A student membership can only be held for a maximum of three years.
Full details of the application process, including the application forms, can be found here.
Question:
I work in private practice and would like my details to appear on the IGC website. How can I do this?
Answer:
On the website, under Membership Process, download the Private Practitioners form, fill in and return to office@igc.ie along with a copy of your insurance and indemnity certificate. A minimum of ten hours of CPD must have been completed in the year prior to your application and proof of same should be filled in on the application form. We also require details of the supervision attended within the past twelve months.
There is no fee for this service for members of the IGC. If you are not yet a member but would like your details displayed, then you will have to join the IGC as part of that process. Application forms are available under ‘Membership process‘ tab
Question:
Do I need to have Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Answer:
All guidance counsellors should have professional indemnity insurance, whether they are working in private practice or are employed by an institution. In particular, those operating independently in private practice are required to organise this as per IGC recommendations.
For most guidance counsellors, indemnity is generally provided under the individual institution’s insurance cover, but a discussion should always take place between the GC and the employer to ensure he or she is covered for the various professional aspects of practice, psychometrics, counselling, advising etc.
How much does it cost?
Costs will, of course, depend on the individual applicant, the extent of client contact, and the type of indemnity sought. This type of insurance falls under the banner of ‘Therapy Scheme’ and is a specialised type of cover.
For further details, please contact the head office at 016761975, or by emailing office@igc.ie
Question:
Should I be allowed the time off for my supervision?
Answer:
Yes, you should be allowed the time to attend your supervision. Both the IGC and the Department of Education strongly encourage participation in the professional support supervision programme among all guidance counsellors employed in post-primary schools and post-leaving certificate colleges (PLCs)/ Colleges of Further Education (CFEs). The co-operation of school principals for the professional support supervision programme is essential and is very much appreciated.
Each year Monaghan Education Centre, who provide administrative support and is responsible for the management of the professional support supervision programme nationally, issues a letter to the principals of all post-primary schools outlining the benefits of this Department-funded programme and thanking them for supporting and facilitating the participation of their schools’ guidance counsellors.
Question:
Are there rules around how my school allocates guidance hours?
Answer:
The school guidance plan is a structured document that describes the school guidance programme and specifies how the guidance needs of students are to be addressed. It is an integral part of the school’s overall development plan. Schools are free to use the guidance allocation according to their needs, once it is in keeping with their Whole School Guidance Plan. This is where decisions about the level of 1-to-1 and small group support can be agreed upon.
Question:
I have just qualified and I want to join a supervision group. How do I do that?
Answer:
In relation to eligibility for the Department of Education Supervision scheme operated by Monaghan Education Centre and facilitated by the IGC Branch network, the details of eligibility are as follows:
This programme is available to all Guidance Counsellors who:
a) Hold a qualification, which makes them eligible to secure appointment to a permanent post in a second level school, under the terms set out by circular letter PPT12/05, Circular 0009/2012 has replaced PPT12/05 since January.
b) deliver personal guidance counselling to second level students including those taking Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, and
c) are employed in schools recognised by the Department of Education and Skills
Applicants who wish to participate in the service but do not wish to become a member of the IGC are entitled to do so, but must first have their guidance qualifications verified by the qualifications and membership subcommittee.
It is the responsibility of the Branch Organiser of Supervision to ensure that all those seeking to participate in a supervision group either hold full membership of the IGC, or have had their guidance qualifications verified.
It may be that your contract of employment contains a provision for your place of employment to cover supervision for you. If not, we can put you in touch with the adult supervision group that has been set up by the IGC. Contact head office at office@igc.ie, for further details.
Each branch countrywide has a Counselling Supervision Organiser and they can be contacted through the secretary of that branch. Once your qualifications have been verified, we will put you in touche with the branch organiser of supervision and they will finalise arrangements with you. You can find the contact for the secretary of every branch countrywide here. To have your qualifications verified prior to joining a group, please email them to office@igc.ie
Question:
I’m a student but I’m currently working in a school in guidance, am I eligible to join a supervision group?
Answer:
No. Only qualified guidance counsellors employed by the Department of Education and working as a guidance counsellor in a second level school or college of further education may attend group supervision.
Students have access to their host counsellor and course tutors.
Question:
I want to confirm my membership is up to date. How do I go about doing that?
Answer:
Checking any aspect of your membership at a time that is convenient for you can be done easily by logging into the IGC website and following the steps below:
- Once you’ve logged in, click on the box in the top right hand corner that says ‘Hi (member)’. A drop down menu appears
- Choose the option ‘Edit Details’ and click on that. (You will be prompted to input your details again, as you’re directed to our CRM system – Salespulse). When prompted to do so, re-enter your details.
- You will be brought to your membership portal and from here you can check and/or alter your details.
Question:
I’ve lost my renewal notice, can you send me another one?
Answer:
The IGC website and membership system was developed to give members greater autonomy over their records. It is possible to go into your member portal and print off an invoice from there, complete with a unique invoice number. You can also change the billing details to that of your school or ETB and reprint. You will find the details of how to use this online system here:
Question:
I can’t log in to the website, my details don’t appear to be working. What do I do?
Answer:
To confirm your details, please contact head office and if possible, have your member number to hand. We will be able to confirm your USERNAME details with you. If you are unsure of your password, please use the ‘Forgot Password’ prompt and a reset code will be send to your preferred email address. You can reset your password, and access your account immediately.
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