Vital counselling services for children in a South Woodham school are to be axed, following government cuts in grant maintained schools.

A counsellor from the Sycamore Tree - the children's counselling section of Sycamore Education and Training - who has been working with pupils at Elmwood Primary School, is due to end her service at the school in May because of forced budget cuts.

"We are extremely sorry to have to let this service go but unfortunately with the six per cent cuts we are having to make we can no longer afford these so-called luxuries," said headteacher Joan Alderson.

"We are very sorry to lose it especially as in today's society you are more likely to get children with problems.

''They get thrown into the education system with little chance to deal with their emotional problems.

"The teacher just cannot provide that sort of support -- they have a class of 30 to cope with.

''We have been so pleased with the work the Sycamore counsellor has done, we have had some children who have had sessions for a few months and have gone back to normal class and were absolutely fine. It is a real shame."

Linda Hopper, director of Sycamore, said: "I don't know what we are going to do. We were planning to expand our counselling service in South Woodham schools, but now we are losing it.

''These cuts cannot help but have a detrimental effect on the children we are seeing.

"So many children do not have productive relationships with their families, and for many of them to have this time to talk about what is worrying them is invaluable.

Mrs Hopper said she was now appealing to anyone, whether groups, businesses or individuals, who could sponsor the service to keep it running at the school.

If you can help, contact Linda Hopper on (01245) 359353.

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