A PROJECT aimed at improving mental health in children with learning disabilities has received an £18,000 boost.

The Multi Schools Council, based at Market Field School in Elmstead Market, approached the North East East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (NEE CCG) for funding.

The cash will go towards the council’s resilience programme, which helps students with special educational needs tackle mental health problems.

Kierran Pearce, who set up the council, said: “I went to the NEE CCG and said this is what the children need more of in schools.

“The way we presented it was there needs to be more early intervention.

“Why there is such an issue with mental health is problems aren’t being addressed early enough.

“A lot of the problems could be tackled in schools if they were talking more about mental health.”

The resilience programme is for primary and secondary schools.

Students work on different areas they have identified, such as forming stable friendships, using social media appropriately and family issues that may come up in school.

He said: “It’s about not being scared to talk about these issues.

“Staff may be worried about treading on eggshells but sometimes that can make it worse.”

The funding will allow 12 more schools across north-east Essex to take up the programme from March.

It brings the total number of schools on the programme to 17.

The schools have been selected by the council but some have presented themselves as being in need of support.

Mr Pearce said: “The children score themselves on how resilient they are to certain issues at the start of the six-week programme, then again at the end.”

He added: “If we are serious about this, it needs to be a part of the school curriculum.

“It’s building a partnership between health and education.”