A DUNFERMLINE business has secured a deal providing mental health and wellbeing support to pupils and staff across 200 schools.

Tree of Knowledge will be giving all primary and secondary schools in the Highlands access to a groundbreaking online learning platform to use at home or in classrooms, which addresses the challenges of the pandemic and develops positive mental health.

Highland Council are the first authority to provide this mental health and wellbeing support to staff and pupils authority-wide.

Tree of Knowledge say they are approaching all local authorities across Scotland and England too and Fife Council told the Press that the Kingdom's schools used many different resources to respond to the needs of young people, including a specific programme designed in Fife.

Dougie Clark, director at Tree of Knowledge, said: “We’re delighted to see Highland Council acknowledging the importance of investing in the health and wellbeing of their staff and pupils at this time.

"Treehouse is now in schools in over half of authorities across Scotland, as well as schools in England, Ireland and as far afield as the USA.

"In March 2020, we transformed our business from 100 per cent face-to-face delivery, to almost 100 per cent online delivery.

"We’ve relished the challenge and it’s given us an opportunity to share our messages with a far wider audience at a time when it is vital.”

Treehouse provides more than 100 age-appropriate modules covering pre-school right up to S6, and additional modules for staff.

Nicky Grant, executive chief officer for education and learning for Highland Council, added: “Treehouse is exactly what our schools need right now.

"In times of change and uncertainty, our teachers and pupils need a tool that will help them develop resilience, cope with change and manage stress and anxiety.

"Additionally, Treehouse will form an important part of our schools’ remote learning approach.

"We are excited that this will aid teachers in delivering structured mental health and wellbeing support to pupils during the latest lockdown."

Rona Weir, education manager with Fife Council, said: "Tree of Knowledge is one of a wide range of resources which can be used to support young people's reflections on their emotional wellbeing.

"Fife schools use many different resources responding to the needs of their young people.

"Many schools use the 5 Ways Approach – Keep Connected, Give, Learn, Be Active and Take Notice – to think about how to keep mentally well and many have designed and introduced their own, customised programmes and resources around the 5 Ways, sometimes weaving in other approaches and resources which they feel will work in their context.

"Many also use the Branch Out programme, which is a curricular resource designed in Fife in partnership with NHS Families Service to build young people's knowledge of mental health between Primary 7 and S3."