Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs featured in the Guardian calling for government-funded counselling support in every secondary school, academy and further education college.

In , Martin Bell said the investment was vital to support the mental health of our children and young people.

Martin was responding to a front-page that reported more than 400,000 children and young people a month are being treated for mental health problems.

School counselling campaign

He highlighted our long-running聽campaign for a paid counsellor in every secondary school, academy and further education college in England.聽

And Martin added: 鈥淪chool counselling is a non-stigmatising and effective form of early intervention for reducing psychological distress.

鈥淚t has a positive effect on confidence, resilience, sense of self-worth, family relationships, friendships, school attendance and academic achievement.鈥�

His letter included statistics from our recent survey of school staff about the impact of school counselling, with 86 per cent saying it鈥檚 helped improve attendance, 73 per cent saying it鈥檚 helped improve students鈥� behaviour, and 72 saying it鈥檚 helped improve students鈥� academic attainment.

Martin concluded: 鈥淕overnment funding is urgently needed to provide more school counsellors to offer life-changing support for young people in need.鈥�

Vital early support

More statistics from our recent survey of school staff were used in an article in in which we reiterated our call for the government to fund a paid counsellor in every secondary school and further education college in England.

The article included the figures that nine out of 10 school staff believe pupils鈥� education is suffering due to a lack of mental health support and two thirds believe their school is not offering enough help for children鈥檚 emotional wellbeing.

Jo Holmes, our Children, Young People and Families Lead, said: 鈥淎 government-funded school counselling service in England would help reduce the pressure on NHS services and ensure those who can鈥檛 access these services receive the vital early support they need.

鈥淚t can make a profound difference to their wellbeing, education and future prospects.鈥�