School counsellors to protect children online

Up to 8,000 counsellors will be sent into schools as part of efforts to monitor children more closely for “unhealthy online behaviours” the new Health Secretary has said. Matt Hancock urged parents and companies to do more to protect children from the pressures of social media, as he announced a major expansion in children’s mental health services. The plans entail doubling the mental health workforce for children, amid warnings that the NHS has been left “picking up the pieces” of a mental distress epidemic among the young.

UP TO 8,000 counsellors will be sent into schools as part of efforts to monitor children more closely for “unhealthy online behaviours” the new Health Secretary has said.

Matt Hancock urged parents and companies to do more to protect children from pressures of social media, as he announced a major expansion in children’s mental health services. The plans entail doubling the mental health workforce for children, amid warnings that the NHS has been left “picking up the pieces” of an epidemic of mental distress among the young.

Thousands of new workers will be trained to counsel children with mild to moderate difficulties, and refer those with more severe needs for specialist help. Mr Hancock, who was culture secretary before being appointed Health Secretary earlier this month, has previously expressed deep concern about the impact of digital pressures on children, calling on schools to ban mobile phones.

Announcing the new plans, he commended The Daily Telegraph’s Duty of Care campaign calling for social media to protect children from harms.

He told this newspaper: “Technology is having a significant impact on the way our children and young people interact. There is more we can all do – as parents or companies that provide services – to protect children online.”

Last month Mr Hancock, who has an 11-year-old daughter and two sons, aged nine and four, said his children do not have mobile phones and are not allowed to use social media. He urged technology companies to use their skills to help parents to protect children – such as detecting potentially addictive behaviours or signals of distress.

“The solution cannot be to write off new technology. Instead, we need to make sure this technology works for us – whether through establishing a code of conduct or using artificial intelligence to spot unhealthy behaviours.

“That is why I will be working with companies to determine the best way forward, so we can harness technology to help prevent and treat mental health problems, rather than exacerbate them.”

Under the new plan, seven universities will begin training education mental health practitioners in January, with the first teams to begin working in schools and colleges by the end of next year. The schemes will cover around quarter of the population within five years, with aims to train up 8,000 workers in the long run.

It comes amid concern that children and teenagers suffering self-harm, eating disorders, and depression are waiting too long for help, with problems often becoming more entrenched.

Yesterday Mr Hancock told MPS that he was determined that mental health should be given the same priority as physical health.