All secondary schools should have mental health counsellors who can give immediate help to distressed pupils, it has been claimed.
The Local Government Association (LGA) says the national roll-out is vital because youngsters are being forced to wait up to 18 months for support.
It has warned that at least one in ten children have a diagnosed mental health problem, with almost 19,000 being admitted to hospital after harming themselves in 2015.
This is a 14 per cent increase over three years.
Local government chiefs have warned that at least one in ten children have a mental health problem with almost 19,000 being admitted to hospital after harming themselves in 2015
The government has pledged £1.7billion to improving children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
The LGA is calling for five per cent of this funding – £90 million – to be used to make it mandatory for every pupil in secondary and alternative education provision, to have access to on-site counselling services.
The call is part of the LGA’s Bright Futures campaign for children and young people’s mental health, which is launched today (weds).
The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, says the funding would help ensure children have access to early support without having to go on a waiting list.
The average waiting time for children and young people to access mental health services range from 14 to 200 days, it points out.
And 70-75 per cent of young people experiencing mental health problems are not able to access any treatment, due to a lack of early intervention services and stigmas around asking for help.
Councillor Richard Watts, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: ‘No child or young adult should have to wait 18 months for vital support and guidance.
‘Many young people might not have needed formal social care support if they had received the early help they needed.
On Monday, the Duchess of Cambridge encouraged children to be themselves in a touching video in support of Children’s Mental Health Week (pictured)
‘Providing just a small proportion of the funding it is spending on mental health support nationally to ensure every school provides on-site counselling, is one way the government can ensure every child and young person enjoys the bright future they deserve.
‘Mental health problems are very common and not something children should feel ashamed about.
‘Good emotional health and wellbeing is also about learning to be resilient to life’s setbacks and negative emotions.’
Referring to pupils, he added: ‘They may be facing personal problems outside of school that they feel that they are unable to talk to somebody about or in the current climate, it could be that they are seeking reassurance to cope with modern stresses such as social media pressures, sexual exploitation and negative body image.’
On Monday, the Duchess of Cambridge encouraged children to be themselves in a touching video in support of Children’s Mental Health Week.
The Duchess, who is pregnant with her third child, spoke about how mental health issues affect people of all ages and backgrounds and the importance of talking about the issues they are facing.
She said adults can help children by giving them the ‘emotional strength’ they need to thrive.