Mental health support for pupils

Schoolkids at six Renfrewshire schools who are struggling with their mental health are set to continue benefitting from counselling on offer during term-time, writes Steph Brawn, Local Democracy Reporter.

Elected members on the council’s finance, resources and customer services board will be asked to renew a contract for the service to children’s mental health charity Place2Be at a meeting today.

Papers state the council intends to award the fresh contract for an initial year with the option to extend this for a further 12 months.

The service is currently on offer to pupils at Paisley Grammar School alongside five primaries - St Catherine’s and St Paul’s in Paisley, Woodlands in Linwood, and St David’s and Cochrane Castle in Johnstone.

Council papers state: “Renfrewshire Council is committed to improving the mental health of children, young people, and their families by working with delivery partners to invest in preventative services.

“By promoting positive mental health in children and young people from an early age, the range of positive school outcomes like attitudes to learning, better attendance, and lower exclusion rates will greatly increase.

“The provision of a schoolbased counselling service in five Renfrewshire primary schools and one secondary school will support delivery of one of Renfrewshire Council’s strategic priorities to reduce inequalities and deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people.”

Counselling provided by Place2Be would be on top of that already offered through The Exchange, which provides services to all primary and special schools on a peripatetic basis and a school- based counselling service for all secondary schools.

The board - which will be led by convener John Shaw - will meet via video conference at 2pm.