FEARS that young adults with mental health problems are not getting the help they need are behind moves to improve services.

It could result in County Durham playing a leading role in a new approach to "young people-friendly" mental health services.

A 40-point action plan has been backed by Durham County Council's overview and scrutiny committee and will be circulated to the council's partners in health and education. If successful, it could provide a blueprint for other parts of the UK.

Called Minding The Gap, the plan argues that young adults in the 16 to 25 age range do not fit into either a child's or adult's mental health setting and need separate facilities.

A Durham County Council spokesman said: "This transitional age group has different needs and a different culture not always best served by existing services."

The report is partly inspired by the relatively high levels of mental health problems, depression and suicide among young people in County Durham and Darlington.

It calls for a range of measures, including:

* Raising awareness among teaching staff about the importance of early intervention;

* Considering extending counselling projects to more schools;

* Looking at developing an Early Intervention Service for children as young as 14 who have developed serious mental illness.

* Recognising the specific needs of 16 to 18-year-olds;

* Extending befriending schemes for youngsters with mental health problems;

* Setting up a young, people-friendly website to promote and support the scheme;

* Looking at including mental health services in one-stop shops;

* Producing short, straightforward leaflets explaining services;

* Setting up a standing group of young people with experience of mental health problems to help develop and monitor services.

A conference to debate the way forward is expected to be held soon.