Councils call for compulsory mental health counselling in all secondary schools
Every secondary school in the country should receive funding to provide compulsory independent mental health counselling to pupils, the body representing local authorities has said.
The Local Government Association said that access to counselling should be made mandatory, amid growing concerns that children and young people are being forced to wait up to 18 months before receiving support.
The goverment has promised to invest £1.7 billion in mental health and wellbeing services for children and young people.
The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, said 5% of this funding – £90 million – should be set aside to make it mandatory for every student in secondary and alternative education provision to have access to on-site counselling services.
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