Rules of Engagement for School Counsellors Dealing with Runaway Youths
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the protocol for school counsellors managing runaway youths, including parental notification and the criteria for activating Child Protective Service. Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that school staff first ensure the youth’s safety before advising a return home and linking families with community social workers. For non-abuse cases, schools engage parents and provide counselling support upon the youth’s return to school, subject to receiving parental consent. In cases where abuse is suspected, Principals must immediately report to Child Protective Service to facilitate intervention by Child Protection or Approved Welfare Officers. Staff utilize the Child Abuse Reporting Guide, a protocol jointly developed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and other frontline ministries.
Transcript
14 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the rules of engagement that a school counsellor has to abide by when dealing with a youth who has run away from home; (b) whether a parent or guardian needs to be informed when a counsellor is engaging with such youths; and (c) in what cases will the Child Protective Service be activated.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: When youths run away from home, school personnel including teachers, School Counsellors (SCs) or Student Welfare Officers (SWOs) would help to find them and offer support. They would quickly ascertain that the youths are not in any danger and the circumstances that caused the youths to run away.
For non-abuse cases, SCs or SWOs would advise the youths to return home. The school would engage the parents and link the family with the relevant community partners (e.g. social workers from Family Service Centres) for support when they return home. The school would also monitor the well-being of the youths and provide counselling support when they return to school, with consent from their parents.
Where abuse is suspected, Principals report such cases immediately to the Child Protective Service, and work closely with the Child Protection Officers and/or Approved Welfare Officers to ensure that timely intervention is provided for the youths involved. SCs and SWOs are trained to use the Child Abuse Reporting Guide which was jointly developed by Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministries with frontline staff working with children (e.g. Education, Health, Police).