MENTAL health teams will be trained to support Swindon schoolchildren, as NHS chiefs aim to catch depression and other conditions early.

Swindon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group has been awarded £2.3m by the government. The town is one of seven so-called trailblazer areas set up by the department of health and social care in a bid to improve children’s mental health.

The project, which runs until 2021, will fund new mental health support teams visiting schools and training for mental health leads in Swindon schools and colleges.

Gill May, director of nursing and transformation at Swindon CCG, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to shift the focus on high quality early intervention for children, young people and their families.

“This will enable us to work with partner organisations to provide equitable, improved access to services and improved outcomes for our children and young people.”

Around 900 children and young people are being supported by mental health services in Swindon.

Coun Brian Ford, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for public health, said: “This is tremendous news for Swindon and I am pleased the government has recognised the work we are already doing in tackling mental health by putting us among a select group of local areas who will be leading the way in this field.

“This funding will allow us to work more closely with those children that need access to mental health support services and I’m sure it will make a tremendous difference to their lives.”