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Last Updated: 10 November 2022

School Counsellor (Trained/Untrained)

Provide support to students' mental health and social-emotional development. Learn more about the role and how to apply for it.

Roles and responsibilities

System support

  • Develop suitable school counselling programme including a system for needs analysis, early identification and referral of students with mental health issues and social, emotional and behavioural problems.
  • Advise school management on school counselling matters.
  • Provide consultation as well as planning and conducting training for staff and parents on pertinent mental health issues and skills for first-line intervention and support.
  • Network with relevant external professionals and community agencies.
  • Evaluate and report to the school management on the state of student mental health in the school, and the effectiveness of the school counselling programme.

Preventive programme

  • Develop and conduct small and large group psycho-educational sessions for students on mental health issues and healthy coping strategies.
  • Develop and make mental health resources available for students, parents and staff.

Responsive services

  • Provide individual and group counselling to students.
  • Conference with staff, parents and external professionals and agencies on students being counselled, and conduct home visits where necessary.
  • Look into the referral of students and their families to community resources or external professionals, where needed.
  • Provide direct crisis intervention and follow-up to students affected by critical incidents.
  • Maintain case consultation records and proper documentation.
  • Provide regular updates to school management on the progress of students being seen for counselling.

Salary and benefits

You will be appointed on the School Counsellor Scheme of Service, and will be hired on a contract basis. Your starting salary will range from $3,050 to $5,200. Your exact salary takes into consideration:

  • Your relevant work experience and time spent on the job.
  • Your academic training.
  • Whether you have completed full-time National Service.
Information on salaries is accurate at the point of publication but may be subject to review and change.

You will also be eligible for these benefits:

  • Time off during school holidays, as long as your services are not required during that time.
  • Subsidised medical and dental benefits.
  • 14 days of medical leave without hospitalisation, and up to 60 days with hospitalisation.
  • 10 days of urgent leave for private matters, subject to approval.

Learn more about the benefits as a Public Officer.

The positions and programmes available for you are based on your prior experience and qualification. Select your profile:

Applicants with counselling training

If you have professional counselling training, apply to be a School Counsellor at our schools. Learn how to apply.

Applicants without counselling training

If you would like to be a School Counsellor but do not have relevant qualifications, you can apply through our foundational training programme. Learn more about the programme.