In recent years, a strong case has been made by education and health theorists for an allocation of resources aimed at preventing the onset of psychological, social and educational problems among school aged children. Psychologists, counsellors, and educators working in the field have, however, tended to focus their limited resources on established problem areas and crisis intervention, rather than on preventive programs. This paper questions the long-term effectiveness of “bandaid” intervention and develops a broader conceptual framework for the delivery of psychological services to a school community. A service model is proposed that balances the traditional focus on remediation with an emphasis on the prevention of psycho-educational problems. Attention is given to the role and function of the school counsellor in the implementation of such a model.
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