Bradford schoolchildren will be helping to counsel fellow pupils under a national scheme launched by Education Secretary David Blunkett today.

The project, developed by ChildLine and schools across the country, seeks to set up networks in schools where children can confide in fellow pupils when needing help.

So far eight schools in Bradford, Otley, Brighouse and Batley have joined the scheme, alongside 700 other schools nationwide.

Rachael Morice, who heads an established student counselling scheme at the Yorkshire Martyr's Collegiate School in Bradford, said the project offered pupils an alternative to taking their problems to teachers.

"We have 16 volunteers in the sixth form and we're hoping to get Year 11 pupils involved as counsellors as well,'' she added.

"They have worked closely with Year Seven pupils. Pupils feel able to go to them because they are older but aren't seen as authority figures."

The volunteers have been trained by Mrs Morice and the school's social worker. They wear badges marked SOS - standing for "students offering support" - and need be available to help at any time.

Mrs Morice said: "I try to stress the volunteers are listeners, not problem solvers.

"We don't want sixth-formers taking the problems on themselves but with more serious problems they can point the pupil in the right direction."

Rhodesway Upper School in Allerton is another school setting up a student support scheme under the wing of ChildLine.

Teacher Christine Taylor said: "We're not introducing the scheme because things have got worse but as a fresh way of solving problems."

The ChildLine in Partnership with Schools (CHIPS) scheme was set up after ChildLine bosses discovered one in ten children called the line because of concerns about another child.

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