Vulnerable teenagers are missing out on vital counselling services due to government cutbacks, the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) has warned.

According to the institute, a new study has shown that cutbacks by the Department of Education last year led to a 51% reduction in the time available for one-to-one student counselling in secondary schools.

These schools have been forced to divert counsellors away from this type of contact to more class-based duties, including subject teaching. As a result, classroom-based activity by counsellors rose by almost 20%.

The study involved 240 schools, which between them, employ 378 guidance counselling staff. It was carried out in two phases - prior to the department cutbacks in May 2012 and after the cuts had taken effect in October and November, 2012.

According to IGC president, Gerry Flynn, the biggest reduction in counselling services is coming ‘at a time of greatest need among young people'. This, he insisted, ‘reflects very badly on our priorities'.

"Cutting one-to-one counselling service in half in the current environment where we are every day witnessing the increasing challenges facing young people, such as bullying and other serious personal crisis, is unconscionable. It's hard to see how it can achieve anything other than leave more young people exposed to risk," Mr Flynn said.

He added that this is ‘completely at odds with government policy' and its commitment to help vulnerable, young people.

Mr Flynn explained that this is the only network of its type, where trained counsellors are in the same location as young people over an extended period of time. This allows them to provide support and continuity of care to young people who need it.

"Guidance counsellors can identify young people who may be vulnerable and intervene with professional advice and support before matters escalate and require the input of more resource hungry state agencies," he explained.

He said that this resource should be fully exploited, not destroyed. However, counsellors have indicated that the reductions in one-to-one counselling hours ‘are likely to have increased since the study was completed', as schools try to work with limited resources.

"We have to ensure that this service is not further reduced due to pressure on resources in schools. We would very much like to work with the Department of Education, parents and other agencies to determine how best we can restore much needed counselling services at the coal face," Mr Flynn added.