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This article explores how school-based counselling might impact young people's capacity to study and learn. Previous research has indicated that counselling in schools has an indirect positive impact on academic achievement. A mixed methods approach, using a semi-structured qualitative interview and a brief rating scale, was employed with 21 young people who have been recipients of school-based counselling in the UK. The findings from the interviews were analysed thematically. All participants felt counselling had in some way benefited their studying and learning. Counselling was perceived by clients as positively impacting upon their academic achievement by improving their concentration, motivation to study and attend school, behaviour in class and relationships with teachers. The findings replicate evidence from previous research that school-based counselling indirectly benefits young people's capacity to study and learn. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

The success of schools' counselling services often depends on the support of various key stakeholder groups. This study reports on the attitudes of key stakeholders working within the Welsh Government school-based counselling strategy. Using a survey methodology, the opinions of local authority leads/service managers (n=25), school management (n=158) and school counsellors (n=106) were compared and contrasted. Questions related to the accessibility of services to pupils, the balance between confidentiality and safeguarding procedures, whether services are adequately resourced and the training and supervision available to counsellors. Results indicated a high level of agreement and overall satisfaction between groups. Areas of disagreement tended to be restricted to practical issues, such as resources and accommodation. (Contains 1 note, 1 table and 3 figures.)