In this issue
Foreword
The times they are听a-changin: therapy and听the search for evidence听by Andrew Reeves
Features
The impact of听counselling on听academic outcomes听(free article)
A year-long, sector-wide听piece of research into the听impact of counselling on听academic outcomes was听conducted by Patti听Wallace, Lead Advisor,听University and College听Counselling, with data听contributed by many听AUCC members and听member institutions in听higher and further听education in the UK
Counselling staff:听how time-limited听counselling can听effect change in听wellbeing
Jill Collins, Colin Dyer and听Diana Shave reflect on听their research study
Giving 鈥榓 face鈥� to听the institution:听the value of an听embedded听counselling service
In a time of scarce听resources and mounting听pressures, how students听value their educational听experience is becoming听increasingly important,听and that includes the听support they can access听along the way. Judy Moore听and Kathleen Lane report听on their research findings
Relationships at the听heart of the student听experience
Anne Marie Reilly draws听attention to research that听provides evidence of the听importance of听relationships for students听and argues for the value听of in-house counselling听alongside teaching and听peer support
Is once enough?听What is truly useful to听the clients we serve?
Polly Brown proposes听there is mileage in听offering a one-off session听in some cases
Opinion piece
Building evidence听that counts
Denise Meyer argues that听between us we have the听capacity to produce ever听more convincing and听credible evidence of our听value and effectiveness听鈥� and calls upon every听service to take seriously听the urgent need to rise听to this challenge in the听current climate
On co-creating the听student experience
Ed Pinkney on why听counselling services听ought to collaborate with听students, and how they can听support student-led mental听health initiatives
AUCC updates
The wellbeing听agenda: friend听or foe?
by members of the听AUCC executive
The role of the听counselling service听in wellbeing
by Ruth Caleb
Client records,听courts, children and听vulnerable witnesses
by Dr Barbara Mitchels
Regulars
Notes from the chair
All articles from this issue are not available online. Divisional members and subscribers can download the pdf from the University and College Counselling archive.
From the editor
Welcome to this year鈥檚 special edition of the journal in which we听focus on a topic that certainly has led in the past, and still does lead听in some quarters, to controversy and debate. Namely, the thorny听question of how to evidence the value of counselling (both in听general and specifically) within our sector.
Following a foreword by Andrew Reeves, editor of 香港六合彩精准资料鈥檚 research听journal, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, Patti Wallace,听our lead advisor, does indeed lead the way by reporting on the听results of her research into the effectiveness (or not) of in-house听counselling; research she could not have undertaken without the听input of you, our membership. Arguably, this is of particular听importance in the current straitened economic climate where the听student-as-customer becomes the focus, even as enrolment is down听in some institutions. And as governments shift away from providing听public subsidies towards transforming the post-school education听system into 鈥榓 patchwork of academic supermarkets with, at one听end, the research-led Russell Group continuing to super-serve听wealthier customers with a wide range of niche offerings while, at听the other end, former polytechnics in the Million+ group will be听forced to clear their shelves of distinctive or idiosyncratic goods听and to focus on those products for which there is already a clearly听defined (mass) market鈥�1 鈥� all the while raising prices for everyone.听Unsurprisingly, this new focus is likely to impact on enrolment, the听student experience and therefore the concerns we see in our听counselling services. The hope, therefore, is that Patti鈥檚 work, along听with all the other contributions in this and future issues, will be a听catalyst for a more comprehensive evidence base in our sector.
Last, but by no means least, we welcome debate, feedback听and contributions to keep the pot boiling!
Dani Singer
Editor
Reference
1 Freedman D. An introduction to听education reform and resistance. In听Bailey M, Freedman D. The assault on听universities: a manifesto of resistance.听London: Pluto Press; 2011.