Children need help to cope with the pandemic’s aftermath

‘Counselling can have a transformative effect on young people’s lives and early, accessible help is key.’ Photograph: Dmytro Betsenko/Alamy

Your article (Teachers ‘buckling under strain’ of pupils’ mental health crisis, 11 March) highlights the serious impact that the pandemic is having on the mental wellbeing of children and school staff.

We’ve long campaigned for government-funded counselling support in every secondary school, academy and further education college in England, provided by qualified staff. The need has never been more acute than now to support young people and alleviate the growing strain on school staff. Schools can’t do this alone.