The legislation on early childhood and school education identifies the following categories of, or positions for, guidance and counselling staff working in nursery schools, schools and other types of institutions (hereafter jointly referred to as schools): teacher-pedagogue, teacher-psychologist, teacher-educational therapist, teacher-speech therapist, teacher-careers adviser, teacher-methodological adviser and teacher-consultant. (See also Chapter 9.1, Initial Education for Teachers working in Early Childhood and School Education). The legislation also specifies qualification requirements and responsibilities for each of these groups of specialists.

Teachers-pedagogues(nauczyciel-pedagog) are required to have completed:

• a Master's (magister) degree (second- or long-cycle) programme in the field of Education, with the specialism corresponding to the classes / activities to be conducted, or a Master’s degree (second- or long-cycle) programme in any field and a non-degree postgraduate programme in the area corresponding to the classes / activities to be conducted (for nursery schools and schools of all levels and types); or
• a Bachelor’s (licencjat) degree (first-cycle) programme in the field of Education, with the specialism corresponding to the classes / activities to be conducted, or a Bachelor’s degree (first-cycle) programme in any field and a non-degree postgraduate programme in the area corresponding to the classes / activities to be conducted (minimum requirements only for nursery schools and primary schools);

and have a teaching qualification.

Teachers-psychologists(nauczyciel-psycholog) are required to have completed a long-cycle or a second-cycle programme (leading to the Master's (magister) degree) in the field of Psychology, with the specialism corresponding to the classes / activities to be conducted, and hold a teaching qualification.

As part of their responsibilities, teachers-pedagogues and teachers-psychologists, in particular:

• conduct diagnostic tests and assessments for pupils, incl. assessment of their individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities; this aims to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind educational failure or difficulties in functioning (incl. barriers and constraints to the functioning of pupils and their participation in the life of the school);
• assess educational situations in the school in order to address educational problems which create barriers or constraints to active and full participation of pupils in the life of the school;
• provide psychological and pedagogical / educational support to pupils in response to the needs identified;
• undertake activities to prevent addiction and other problems faced by children and young people;
• minimise effects of development disorders; prevent behavioural disorders; initiate various types of support within the school and pupils’ environment outside the school;
• initiate and conduct mediation- and intervention-type activities in crisis or emergency situations;
• support parents and teachers in the assessment and development of pupils’ individual abilities, predispositions and aptitudes or talents;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:
  • assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities; and
  • providing psychological and pedagogical / educational support.

The position of teacher-educational therapist (nauczyciel-terapeuta pedagogiczny) may be taken by a person who has completed:

• a degree programme in the area of Educational Therapy, at the level required to take a teacher position in a given type of nursery school, school or institution; or
• a degree programme at the level required to take a teacher position in a given type of nursery school, school or institution, and a first-cycle (Bachelor’s degree) programme, a non-degree postgraduate programme or a qualification course in the area of Educational Therapy;

and holds a teaching qualification.

As part of their main responsibilities, teachers-educational therapists:

• conduct diagnostic tests for pupils with developmental disorders or deviations, or specific learning difficulties, in order to identify difficulties and monitor effects of therapeutic interventions;
• identify factors which limit active and full participation of pupils in the life of the school;
• conduct corrective and compensatory / remedial classes and other therapeutic activities;
• undertake activities to prevent pupils’ educational failure in collaboration with their parents;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:
  • assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities; this aims to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind educational failure or difficulties in functioning (incl. barriers and constraints to the functioning of pupils and their participation in the life of the school); and
  • providing psychological and pedagogical / educational support.

Teachers-speech therapists (nauczyciel-logopeda) are required to have completed:

• a degree programme in the area of Speech Therapy, at the level required to take a teacher position in a given type of nursery school, school or institution; or
• a degree programme at the level required to take a teacher position in a given type of nursery school, school or institution, and a first-cycle (Bachelor’s degree) programme or a non-degree postgraduate programme in the area of Speech Therapy;

and hold a teaching qualification.

Teachers-speech therapists:

• conduct logopaedic assessments, incl. screening tests, in order to identify pupils’ level of speech and language development;
• conduct speech therapy classes for pupils and provide advice and guidance to parents and teachers on how to stimulate speech development and eliminate disorders;
• undertake activities to prevent speech communication disorders in collaboration with pupils’ parents;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in:
  • assessing pupils’ individual developmental and educational needs and psychological and physical abilities; this aims to identify their strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes or talents, and reasons behind educational failure or difficulties in functioning (incl. barriers and constraints to the functioning of pupils and their participation in the life of the school; and
  • providing psychological and pedagogical / educational support.

Teachers-careers advisers(nauczyciel-doradca zawodowy) are required to have completed:

• a Master’s degree (magister) (second- or long-cycle) programme in the area of Career Guidance, or a Master's degree (second- or long-cycle) programme in any field and a non-degree postgraduate programme in the area of Career Guidance (for nursery schools and all types and levels of schools); or
• at least a Bachelor's degree (licencjat/inżynier) (first-cycle) programme in the area of Career Guidance or at least a Bachelor's degree (first-cycle) programme in any field and a non-degree postgraduate programme in the area of Career Guidance (minimum requirements only for nursery schools and primary schools);

and hold a teaching qualification.

As part of their responsibilities, teachers-careers advisers:

• assess regularly pupils’ needs as regards career- and education-related information; and support them in career and education choices;
• collect, update and provide education- and career-related information adapted to a given level of education;
• conduct education and career planning classes, while taking into consideration pupils’ strengths, predispositions, interests and aptitudes identified;
• coordinate information and guidance activities undertaken by the school;
• collaborate with other teachers in conducting education and career planning classes and ensure the continuity of such activities;
• support teachers, educational group tutors and other specialists in providing psychological and pedagogical / educational support.

Unlike teachers holding the afore-mentioned positions, who work with pupils, parents and / or teachers, teachers-methodological advisers (nauczyciel-doradca metodyczny) and teachers-consultants (nauczyciel-konsultant) support only teaching and management staff. Both teachers-methodological advisers and teachers-consultants have qualifications required of teachers (see also Chapter 9.1, Initial Education for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education), but they should hold a Master's degree.

Teachers-methodological advisers, in particular, support teachers and teaching councils in planning, organising and assessing outcomes of teaching, learning and educational processes; designing, selecting and adapting curricula; and in developing methodological skills, and undertaking innovative activities. Teachers-consultants develop teaching materials, design and run in-service teacher training courses, including those related to education management, and organise training seminars and conferences. As part of in-service training, some teachers-methodological advisers and consultants participate in training courses which focus specifically on work with adults (in this case, teachers and managers), organised by in-service teacher training institutions, but participation in such activities is not compulsory.