A Qualitative Study of School Counseling in Barbados: A Focused Ethnography

This qualitative study examines the roles, practices, challenges and demands of school counselors (known as guidance counsellors) in Barbados. A focused ethnographic approach is used to provide a comprehensive and nuanced view of five school counselors’ experiences. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to code and analyze the data from the interviews led to three overarching themes: the 3Rs (Roles, Responsibilities and Requirements); Problematizing the Policies, Politics and Culture; and School Family Community Contexts. This study’s findings have implications for school counselor practice, policy, and training in Barbados and other small states, especially those with a colonial history, as they develop and implement school counseling programs.