School counseling: Current international perspectives

Abstract

This article introduces the main theme for the special issue by summarizing some of the literature that informs understanding of the current development of school counseling in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. Brief comparisons are also made with the practices evident in the United Kingdom and Australia. Within this issue, the articles from the United States, Japan and Korea reveal converging views on school-wide collaboration and a systems approach in supporting the personal-social, academic and career development of all students. The concluding thoughts from the overview of literature, together with the contributions to this issue, are summarized as a list of questions to challenge researchers, guidance professionals, educators and administrators working together for the further improvement of counseling programs in schools.