School Counselors? Preparedness and Supervisory Needs for Supporting Diabetic Children in Refugee Camp Schools: Qualitative Insights from Jordan

This study aimed to examine the professional supervisory requirements and preparedness needs of school counselors in supporting refugee children with diabetes attending schools in refugee camps. A convenience sample of 12 school counselors working in primary schools within the Al-Za?atari and Al-Azraq camps for Syrian refugees in Jordan participated in the study. Data were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). On average, each counselor was responsible for 811 students. Eight counselors identified a total of 46 diabetic children, while four counselors were uncertain about the presence of such cases. Three counselors reported having provided counseling services to 19 diabetic children related to their chronic condition. The findings revealed four central themes that reflect the challenges, barriers, and training needs: difficulties in the identification of schoolchildren with diabetes, family barriers in supporting refugee children with diabetes, managerial and logistical challenges faced by counselors in delivering services to diabetic students within refugee schools, and lack of training and supervision regarding chronic illnesses in children. The study highlights the need to provide school counselors with targeted training in recognizing diabetes symptoms, engaging with families of diabetic children, and ensuring that schools in refugee camps are equipped with essential resources?such as refrigerators, emergency kits, and glucose-testing devices?to support the effective management of diabetes in school settings.