Increasing Collaboration between Homeschoolers and Counselors

Abstract

An estimated 1.8 million students are homeschooled in the United States, and interest has only increased during the pandemic. To provide appropriate services, counselors must understand the contexts and characteristics of homeschoolers. The history of homeschooling provides insight into vulnerabilities and mistrust of public systems which may exist. Reasons and methods of homeschooling differentiate the diversity within the homeschool community, while examining known challenges reveals a possible space for counselors. School counseling history and structure can serve as a template for building counseling services within homeschools and can lead to clinical implications for consideration. Children in public and private schools have access to an array of counseling services within their schools, while homeschooled children and families may not. It may be helpful to explore whether there is a desire for greater access to counseling services within the homeschool community. Unfortunately, there is little literature available on the topic of counseling within the homeschooling community. The purpose of this paper is to review the available literature as well as provide clinical and research recommendations.

Keywords

• homeschooling
• school counselors
• counseling