School counseling at a glance: In Bavaria, school psychological counseling is part of the school counseling system and serves the educational mission of the school. The counseling is free of charge. School psychologists support positive social interaction and collaboration within the school community using psychological insights and methods.
school psychologist
They provide advice and assistance with learning and teaching problems, participate in the further training of teachers and school principals, and support the further development of the school.
In addition to providing advice and help with acute and difficult problems, school psychologists also strive for preventive measures and for improving the school climate and the overall work in the school (prevention).
School psychologists in Bavaria have dual qualifications as psychologists and teachers. They specialize in specific types of schools and are well-versed in school practice from a teacher's perspective, but at the same time they are also familiar with the concerns of both students and parents.
School psychologists are also part of the school community and have good personal relationships with the staff, the school administration, and the school management. They are bound by a special duty of confidentiality and are therefore independent and reliable partners of the individuals they support.
School psychologists work...
- With individual students and teachers:
- Counseling for learning and performance difficulties (e.g., partial performance disorders, motivation problems, work habits), special educational pathway decisions (e.g., in cases of special educational needs or special talents)
- in acute crises (e.g. sudden drop in performance or school refusal, self-aggression, risk of suicide)
- Support for the teacher (e.g., in cases of discipline problems, conflicts with parents)
2. With groups:
- Discussion groups and working groups with students, classes and/or parents (e.g., learning how to learn, developmental conflicts, social tensions in the class)
- Professional development and supervision for teachers (e.g., on collaboration within the staff, to support professionalism)
3. Within the school system:
- Participation in educational conferences (e.g. on topics such as school climate, violence in schools, performance assessment)
- Consulting for school management and school administration (e.g. personnel management, conference organization)
- Participation in school experiments, coordination tasks and school development
Cooperation partners of the school psychologists
School psychologists work together with:
- the schools and the school administration
- the school counseling centers
- the guidance counselors
- the educational counselling centers
- the youth welfare offices and social services
- Freelance psychologists and doctors, clinics
- the police
School psychological measures
- They primarily serve to clarify problems (diagnosis), provide advice and support.
- to mediate, inform, support, promote and help
- establish contacts with other professionals (e.g. therapists)
Ways to contact the school psychologist
Students and parents should first contact the teacher and then the school's guidance counselor or the school psychologist directly.
In particularly complex psychological cases, the guidance counselor refers the matter to the responsible school psychologist (e.g., in cases requiring special diagnostics or when a teacher is himself a "party" in a conflict).
Useful addresses
- State school advisory service for Middle Franconia:
http://www.schulberatung.bayern.de/
- School Counseling Center, School Psychology for Nuremberg:
http://www.schulpsychologie.nuernberg.de
- Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office - Youth Protection Act:
https://www.blja.bayern.de/schutz/jugendschutz/index.php