What should a school counsellor do in an emergency?

Stay with the student and contact your school’s protocol contact straight away. Do not improvise or assess risk alone.

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1Stage 1: Settle and learn

Safety first

Q: What should a new school counsellor do before the first session?

Get the school’s written crisis protocol, agree that you will never assess risk alone, confirm who you report suspected abuse to and how fast (POCSO in India), and list only helpline numbers you have verified yourself.

Updated 2026-10-21 · By Meera Manikandan, Counselling Psychologist, Counseld

In shortBefore your first session: get the school’s written crisis protocol, never assess risk alone, confirm who you report suspected abuse to and how fast (POCSO in India), and list only helpline numbers you have checked yourself. In an emergency, stay with the student and contact your protocol contact straight away.

Four steps to settle before your first session.

Know your protocol

Get the school’s written crisis protocol. No protocol yet? Ask your principal.

Don’t assess risk alone

If a student may be at risk, follow your protocol. Do not improvise.

Know your reporting duty

Confirm who you report suspected abuse to, and how fast (POCSO in India). Check locally

Verify your helplines

List only numbers you have checked yourself, and recheck them each term.

In an emergency

Stay with the student. Contact your protocol contact straight away.

Next, read when to involve others, including the signs that mean you involve your protocol straight away.

Counseld Starter Toolkit · Not a substitute for supervision or school policy.

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