Counselling
Your wellbeing is important, and our counsellors work with everyone in the college community to create a safe, supportive and inclusive environment in which you can thrive.
Our counsellors, can help you with school-related matters, including future directions and pathways, as well as personal issues. You can talk to them face-to-face on Level 4 of the Jordan campus or in Gawler Place, over the phone or online. Making an appointment is easy – you can email, visit the Counsellors directly or call USC on 8313 4988. Keeping your appointments is even more important, and we encourage all students to inform the Counsellors if they cannot attend their scheduled time.
“The genuine care and respect shown by USC teachers is unmatched.” Ruby, Year 11
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Access to counselling by family members
Parents, carers or teachers who are concerned about a student can ask the counsellors to make an appointment with that student. While this may be an appropriate option, it is up to the student whether they use the appointment or not. Our counsellors can also support students by offering to talk with others on their behalf for example with teachers, friends or parents. The student will give permission for this to happen.
The support and understanding of parents/carers may help to resolve an issue and increase a student’s safety and wellbeing. So the counsellors may request the permission of the student to involve parents or carers during the counselling process.
Parents/carers can also make an appointment to meet with the counsellors seeking support to manage issues that concern them as parents. They will be assisted by the counsellors in the same way as students are. The information from their appointment will not be shared with the student, nor will the information students have shared be given to parents/carers, without consent, unless it is necessary to prevent a serious threat the counsellors anticipates to anyone’s safety and wellbeing.
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Your confidentiality and informed consent
Confidentiality is important in counselling but sometimes it may be necessary for the counsellors to share information with particular people.
Information you share with the counsellors can be very personal however the counsellors may decide to share a student’s personal information when:
- The student directs the counsellor to, or
- They ask for and are given consent by the student, or
- If the counsellor suspects the student’s safety is at risk.
Counsellors and staff members in schools are Mandated Notifiers and if they suspect that a student has been abused, or if that student’s safety and wellbeing is at serious risk, they are required by law to share confidential information, without consent, with the relevant authorities.
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The counsellor’s records
The information shared with the counsellors can be very personal. A brief record of a meeting is recorded and filed however detailed information will not go into a student’s file. In most cases, students liaise with the counsellors about what information is recorded and shared with others. Students may direct the counsellor to share information that impacts on learning with teachers, for example.
The counsellor’s notes may include the following:
- Information shared
- Actions taken
- Agreements reached
- Incidents witnessed
- Future directions