Transforming boarding school counseling for Israel’s at-risk children - opinion

Among the numerous challenges facing the country is the lack of a family-support system for 6,500 at-risk children. These youngsters have been removed from their homes following decisions by welfare authorities and court orders. They have experienced numerous traumas, including feelings of abandonment, and cannot rely on the adults who were supposed to protect them.

When they arrive at boarding schools, they need rehabilitation to restore their sense of security, warmth, and love – especially this year, which has required immense emotional strength. The role of the counselor in these boarding schools is immensely important in fostering the children’s sense of capability and their ability to build trust and communicate with others. The counselor must be a therapeutic figure with high emotional capabilities and serve as an anchor for these children. 

However, despite this important role, the counselor has never been recognized as a professional occupation like a teacher, therapist, or caregiver.

Who are these counselors?

Currently, most counselors are young people who have completed their military service, and this job is a meaningful challenge and mission. Nevertheless, they usually stay for short periods before embarking on their post-army trip or assuming a temporary student job. This situation impairs the ability of boarding school children to develop significant long-term relationships with the counselors, which is integral to the youngsters’ rehabilitation process.

Typically, discharged soldiers discover that the job is very demanding – long hours, shift work, and significant emotional strain. Despite its importance and significance, the salary they receive is very low, almost minimum wage. Boarding school managers would like to pay more but most boarding schools operate on a deficit budget and lack the resources to offer higher wages to workers who see their job as a mission. 

This results in significant difficulty in recruiting workers and a high turnover of counselors after a short period of about a year. This turnover harms the children, who bond with the counselors and then have to cope with their departure.

Providing a foundation for growth and a supportive human framework is a critical necessity for children at boarding schools. If the state recognized the importance of human resources in these institutions, it could take action. For instance, the state could define the role of the boarding school counselor as “preferred work.” 

Recognizing the counselor’s position as such is a practical and efficient solution that could lead to a substantial change in the field. This recognition would attract higher-quality counselors who would stay in the role for longer periods, thereby providing the children with stability and significantly contributing to their rehabilitation. However, these children are not at the top of the state’s priorities.

It is time to change this reality. Recognizing the contribution of the boarding school counselor is an essential first step. This way, we can help ensure that these children receive the care, warmth, and love they so desperately need, thereby creating a better future for them and the state.

The writer is the national director of SOS Children’s Villages.