Mental health help for schools

EVERY school is to get access to a mental health counsellor under plans to be considered by SNP ministers.

Recent statistics released by Scottish Labour showed that 608 young people have waited more than a year to get mental health support.

Nicola Sturgeon yesterday responded by pledging a review of the system.

This review will consider assigning a mental health counsellor to every school.

At First Minister’s Questions yesterday, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the figures were ‘utterly shameful and nothing short of a national scandal’.

She added: ‘Since January last year more than 9,000 Scottish children have been referred to mental health treatment only to have that referral rejected or denied and we don’t know why.’

Miss Sturgeon said Health Secretary Shona Robison would look into this and promised to consider Labour’s proposal for school counsellors.

Labour estimates that it would cost around £8million a year to fund a mental health professional in every school.