Mental health help launched for Brighton pupils

Brighton & Hove City Council has set aside £200,000 to fund a counselling service

A counselling service has been launched in schools across Brighton and Hove to help pupils with their mental health.

The city-wide pilot scheme was created after a petition containing more than 2,000 signatures was submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council by sixth formers earlier this year.

Brighton & Hove Citizens, the community group behind the appeal, previously persuaded the council to become what it says is the first in the country to declare a mental health emergency in December 2022.

In that same year a Public Health report revealed that the number of young people in the city with social, emotional and mental health needs was higher than the England average.

'Additional support'

The service, which is for Year 9 secondary students, will run until August 2025 and it was reported in February that the council had set aside £200,000 in its draft budget in order to fund it.

It will run alongside the Schools Mental Health Service, which offers a range of interventions for children, young people and families.

Councillor Emma Daniel, Brighton & Hove City Council's cabinet member for children, families and youth services, said: “When young people told us this was a priority for them, it became our priority.

“Mental health is a crucial factor in children and young people’s overall wellbeing, with poor mental health impacting on some students and putting them at a disadvantage in school.

“We hope this pilot will provide additional support for those who have found it challenging to access learning due to their mental health, giving them the tools they need to help them to lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives,” she added.