Plea To Help Troubled Pupils

A charity that provides counselling for primary school children as young as four is calling for greater funding to help troubled youngsters. The Place2Be says it is enjoying success helping pupils in Edinburgh, its only Scottish base, where it works in ten primary schools.

The charity is to submit a report to the Scottish Executive, NHS Lothian and the city council on its work in the Capital over the past 12 years.

In 2005-6, the proportion of children classed as showing “abnormal” behaviour fell from 53 per cent to 38 per cent following intervention, while those showing “normal” behaviour rose from 27 per cent to 41 per cent.

Benita Refson, chief executive of The Place2Be said: “As society has changed so have the emotional needs of its children. More and more children are developing diagnosable mental health problems which are going unnoticed and we are seeing the results – increases in adolescent suicides, child depression and antisocial behaviour.

“We appreciate the support that we have received from the authorities but we call on them to provide primary school children and their families with the emotional support that they need.”