Pupil counsellors 'very carefully' chosen for team

The five Ministry of Education trauma counsellors at Strathmore School are part of a 20-strong trauma team that covers the central North Island.

The ministry's regional manager, Jean Smith, said trauma team members needed to be calm, able to cope with pressure, and empathetic.

"We choose very carefully who we put on the team," she said.

"You need to be very much a person who can quickly develop good trust relationships with people."

The five women on the trauma team working at Strathmore all have a specialist teaching background, working with children with disabilities, severe behavioural problems, or speech and language difficulties.

They have also done the training required by the ministry to do trauma work, which begins with watching experienced trauma teams in action.

Some trauma experts also have university qualifications.

Trauma teams are pulled together to deal with specific incidents instead of working full time in the role.

They offer advice about explaining trauma to children, grieving and recovering from traumatic incidents - any that cause school disruption, such as the death of a pupil or teacher.

"It's incredibly rewarding work because you're going in when a school is under extreme stress and we're helping to get them back on the path to recovery," Mrs Smith said.

The school's staff and students are also receiving help from Victim Support, the Salvation Army and the wider community.


Tackling trauma

Ways to help a child
* Acknowledge the death or loss.
* Listen without speaking.
* Answer the child's questions.
* Give clear, truthful information.
* Offer explanations.
* Reassure them that they are in no way responsible.
* Reassure them that they are loved by the dead person.
Source: Ministry of Education