Professional counselling for prisoners, families in the offing

NADIRA GUNATILLEKE

Professional counselling will be provided to prisoners and their families, Social Services and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lionel Premasiri said. “Counselling should be commenced at family level. If counselling services are available to the public, lawyers will lose jobs because many will not go to courts,” he said.

He was speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the National Counselling Day at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo 7 on October 15.

Premasiri said the majority of police officers treat the public well but a handful need education on public relations and counselling.

Services of professional counsellors are required by all police stations and the Mediation Board, the Deputy Minister said. Premasiri pointed out the importance of educating school teachers on the family background of troubled schoolchildren. Music therapy is suitable counselling for schoolchildren, he said.

The State and private sector will get-together and formulate a long term plan soon to offer a quality professional counselling service to the public. Grama Niladharis, pre-school teachers and Dhamma school teachers can get-together and offer counselling to victims of natural disasters like the tsunami, he said.

Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary V. Jegarasasingam and several others also spoke. DIG Sirisena Herath and Ministry officials were present. Certificates were awarded to NISD diploma holders.