Armidale Teacher's Association president Michael Sciffer said shortages 'worse' for school counsellors

Chronic staff shortages are even more of a problem for school counsellors than teachers, Armidale Teachers' Association president Michael Sciffer told the Leader.

"There's the teacher shortages, and then the counsellor shortages are even greater," he said.

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Tamworth and Armidale are among the rural and remote locations in high demand for school counsellors.

"It does send a signal around how does society value the wellbeing of children and young people in our schools," Mr Sciffer said.

Mr Sciffer works at Martin Scully Public School, Armidale Secondary College, Guyra Central School and Drummond Memorial Public School.

The counsellor to student ratio in each is inadequate, he said.

He said while it's normal for counsellors to work across a few different settings, the volume of unfilled vacancies of school counsellors is affecting student wellbeing.

Despite having additional qualifications to teachers, and additional responsibilities "that can be quite stressful", school counsellors earn the same wage as teachers, he said.

During Mr Sciffer's almost decade-long service, the issues children bring to him remain similar, but many children he sees today have been affected by current events, such as trauma from bushfires.

"The government really needs to address the shortages," he said.

"Because everyday, young people are being denied access to wellbeing and mental health services in schools."

All 27 public schools in Tamworth are supported by the school counselling service, but some may work in more than one school, a spokesperson for the Education Department said.

By June next year every NSW high school will have a full-time counsellor, as well as a full-time support officer, the spokesperson said.

The role of the school counsellor includes learning and intellectual disabilities assessments, mental health assessments, suicidal risk and self harm assessments, psychological therapy, supporting classroom teachers and building mental health and skill development programs.

"Often, kids just want to chat to someone," Mr Sciffer said.

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