Charity Place2Be hopes to reach up to 25,000 11 to 14-year-olds because of the funding, which has come from the Private Equity Foundation.
The aim of the services is to help children during the transition period from primary to secondary school.
Place2Be already works in 174 schools, but currently only 10 secondaries. It works with pupils who are at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training), including those on free school meals, those with SEN, and those from single parent homes.
The services involve teams of clinical staff and volunteers who provide support services in schools including self-referral sessions and one-to-one counselling for children. The charity also provides practical advice for parents and carers, and training for teachers.
Benita Refson, chief executive of Place2Be, said: “We are reminded everyday, through our current work in secondary schools, of many children’s real and urgent need to be supported through their transition from primary to secondary school.
“While for some it is smooth, for others this transition can be hugely challenging, and this experience can profoundly shape their future chances.”
For further information, visit www.place2be.org.uk