Training of school guidance and counselling workers in Japan: Concerns and challenge s for future development

In Japan, school guidance and counselling has shifted from problem-solving remedial services to a more developmental, preventive approach. With this approach, the aim of school guidance and counselling is regarded as establishing a system that helps students develop a positive identity through successful, rewarding learning experiences in a school that provides support and care. Toward this end, a holistic approach has been adopted, which involves the collaboration of different psychological specialists and education professionals with different training and qualifications. This paper examines current practices and the training systems of different school guidance and counselling workers in Japan. With reference to the framework suggested by Gysbers (2000), four components of an effective school guidance and counselling delivery system-guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support-are adopted as the framework for analysis. Based on a training model developed by Kurihara (2010a; 2010b), the expected roles of different school guidance and counselling workers are reported. This paper also proposes recommendations for pre-service training, induction, and in-service professional development for school guidance and counselling workers.