An online counselling service to help children with mental health issues has been launched after it emerged that young people have been turned away from therapy.

Waltham Forest Council is launching the project after nine months of children being denied help, unless they were psychotic or severely self harming.

Between January and September this year, Waltham Forest’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) said it could only treat the most severe cases of children with mental health issues and charities feared this would lead to more children getting worse.

But the new online counselling service for 11 to 18-year-olds, called Kooth, will give young people anonymous access to self-help material, community forums and therapy sessions.

Children’s mental health charities have welcomed the move, but called for further action.

CareFree Kids is a small children’s mental health charity in Waltham Forest that trains people to deliver therapeutic play and other forms of emotional support for children in need.

Adam Land, co-chairman of the charity, said: “Our young people urgently need our help and support to look after their mental health. We therefore welcome this initiative.

“However, our experience is that online support is only part of the package needed. It is also essential to offer face-to-face support, and to help younger children articulate their emotional needs, for example through play, art and music therapy.”

Professional counsellors will be available for one-to-one chat sessions from 6pm until 10pm on weekdays, and from 12 noon until 10pm on weekends.

The company running the service, XenZone, will work with CAHMS, GPs, schools and the council to raise awareness of the facilities offered and reach out to those in need.

Cllr Naheed Asghar, cabinet member for health at Waltham Forest Council, said: “Promoting mental health in young people is everyone’s business and is crucial for a healthy society. Half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, and suicide is the second biggest killer among 15 to 29-year-olds. We therefore absolutely recognise the challenges our young people face in today’s world and the need to help them build mental resilience and invest in them early.

“This important service will support children with low to moderate level of mental and emotional need; typically, those below the threshold of receiving specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Our 11 to 18-year-olds can now have someone to talk to everyday of the week.”

The online counselling service Kooth can be accessed here.

CareFree Kids is looking to recruit and train local people in therapeutic play and similar techniques to work with young people in local schools. To volunteer, click here or to donate to the charity click here.