A GROUNDBREAKING £1.2 million counselling service is tackling a mental health crisis among young people in Inverclyde.

The charity Action for Children is working in every local primary and secondary school with a growing waiting list of pupils needing support, as disruption from Covid takes its toll.

After children had to play catch-up having been forced to learn at home for months over two lockdown, counsellors are in place helping pupils suffering from anxiety, stress and other issues.

Inverclyde Council education bosses, who had commissioned the service before the pandemic, say it is has never been needed more.

Action for Children director Paul Carberry said: “I am proud of the amazing work our wellbeing service is doing with Inverclyde Council to help children and young people in Inverclyde.

"Services like this are vital in the current circumstances and the commitment and passion of our counsellors is making a life-changing difference to so many young people.

“The fact there is a waiting list for this service sheds light on the scale of the problem in Scotland.

"The ill-mental health and wellbeing issues we are seeing in children is at crisis point and if we fail to address these problems now they will be exacerbated in adulthood."

The counselling service for young people in schools had been identified as a public health priority during an exercise to identify ways to reduce health inequality and poverty in Inverclyde.

Consultations with youngsters had highlighted mental health as a key concern.

But Covid has brought the major issue into sharp focus.

Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “A service like this can be so valuable to young people at the best of times as they navigate such an important and challenging period in their lives.

"But it has taken on even greater significance in the face of a global health pandemic which has caused so much disruption and heartache for so many, particularly our children and young people.

“There is often so much for our children and young people to take in and deal with so it’s great that we have such an innovative support service here in Inverclyde that they can rely on to offer help and support when they need it.

"It has also become an important resource for our education staff and families, particularly during these turbulent times.

“The council and health and social care partnership has worked closely with Action for Children to successfully roll out this service, which underlines that Inverclyde is a caring and compassionate place for all.”

Expert Mr Carberry says young people's mental health needs to be taken more seriously on a wider scale.

He added: “Action for Children has a range of mental health and wellbeing services in primary and high schools and we are continually looking for more funding to expand these services.

"For that to happen there must be more investment and focus on mental health and wellbeing services for children and young people.”