IrelandA letter to the editor published in The Irish Times questions the exclusion of creative arts therapists from a primary school counseling pilot program. The writer, Caroline Hattersley, chief executive of the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists (IACAT), argues that the reasons given for the program's shelving, difficulty in securing qualified counselors, do not accurately reflect the situation. She highlights that IACAT members are highly qualified, holding master’s degrees and adhering to strict ethical standards, and that they could have contributed significantly to the pilot by offering 1,508 clinical days. Hattersley expresses frustration that her organization was excluded despite their existing work with children in primary schools and calls for more transparent and equitable future recruitment processes.
Bias read (Progressive): The letter frames the exclusion of creative arts therapists as an oversight rather than a systemic issue, emphasizing the qualifications and contributions of IACAT members. It criticizes the lack of transparency and equity in recruitment, which suggests a left-leaning critique of bureaucratic ineffi
