77Counsellors

#### 77 Counsellors 77 Counsellors > > (1) For the purposes of the definition of counsellor in section 57 of the Act, a counsellor is a person whose name is on the register of counsellors kept under clause 78. > > > (2) For the purposes of the definition of counsellor in section 57 of the Act, the prescribed qualifications for a counsellor are that the person— > > > > > (a) has at least 2 years of experience within the last 5 years in providing (whether on a full or part-time basis) adoption, out-of-home care services or family services as an employee of, or contractor with, the Department, an accredited adoption service provider or a body of a kind approved by the Secretary for the purposes of this paragraph, and > > > > > (b) is one or both of the following— > > > > > > > (i) an employee of the Department, an accredited adoption service provider or a body or class of body approved by the Secretary for the purposes of this paragraph, > > > > > > > (ii) a member of a professional association approved by the Secretary for the purposes of this paragraph, and > > > > > (c) is the holder of a qualification in the social sciences conferred by a university (whether within or outside New South Wales) after the equivalent of at least 3 years full time study. > > > (3) In addition to any functions conferred on a counsellor by the Act, a counsellor who provides counselling to a person under 18 years of age in relation to the adoption of the person’s child must give a written report on the capacity of the person to understand the effect of signing an instrument of consent to the adoption.