The council said its “new model of support” would include face-to-face counselling by appointment in schools and a listening service offering four sessions with the same child and young person practitioner.
There will also be eight-week “resilience programmes”, support sessions for parents and carers, and a text-based counselling service with an average waiting time of no more than 10 minutes before being connected with a counsellor.
Aberdeen City Council said officers in the council’s Education and Procurement Services had been “working tirelessly” to secure alternative provision.
“SAMH, which already delivers highly evaluated adult services in the city, will now extend its offer to younger residents,” a statement said. “Support will be tailored to individual needs.
“Notably, the new offer includes weekend and after-school access, reflecting how young people prefer to engage with mental health services.”
The council added: “We are confident that this partnership with SAMH represents a significant step forward in ensuring timely, accessible and effective mental health support for our children and young people.”
