Flexible Funding for Wellbeing Services Allocation 2016-2018
On 8 March 2015, the New South Wales Government announced that it would provide a total of $167.2 million over four years for a comprehensive package of support to promote positive student wellbeing.
The package includes $80.7 million to employ 236 additional school counselling service positions and $51.5 million of flexible funding for wellbeing services, equivalent to an additional 200 student support officers.
How was the methodology for the Flexible Funding for Wellbeing Services developed?
A stakeholder advisory group comprising education, parent and union representatives guided the development of the methodology for flexible funding for wellbeing services. Stakeholder consultation feedback has informed the development of this methodology.
What principles underpin the methodology?
The methodology for the flexible funding for wellbeing services:
- is informed by feedback from focus groups held across the state and NSW school and student data
- provides an allocation that reflects student need
- will be adjusted every three years
- will be aligned and fully integrated with RAM from 2017
- will enable schools to purchase additional wellbeing services
Can I apply for Flexible Funding for Wellbeing Services?
No. 381 schools were provided an allocation based on the methodology developed by the Stakeholder Advisory Group.
How is the flexible funding for wellbeing servicesallocation determined?
The methodology has three components which capture a broad range of schools with varying needs. The methodology provides support to large schools, schools with unique profiles such as residential schools and schools with complexity associated with a high refugee population and child protection indicators and total school resourcing.
How can schools use the flexible funding for wellbeing services?
Principals may use flexible wellbeing services funding to employ additional staff including; student support officers, school counsellors additional to the core allocation, teachers to support wellbeing, and community liaison officers.
Schools may consider using some funding to support the capacity of classroom teachers to meet the wellbeing needs of their students e.g.professional learning in whole school evidence-based approaches such as Positive Behaviour for Learning, MindMatters and KidsMatter.
Schools may choose to engage an external provider to deliver wellbeing services in line with the Department’s procurement procedures.
How do I employ a non-teacher based wellbeing service?
Schools seeking to employ additional non teacher staffing will need to contact Anne Serret, Assistant Manager, Corporate Recruitment on 9836 9818.
General enquires about flexible wellbeing funding that are unrelated to staffing matters should be emailed to
How and when will my school receive this flexible funding?
Schools are required to complete the Flexible Wellbeing Services Funding Planning Tool that is available on the Wellbeing for Schools website. This is to calculate on-costs that will need to be paid by the Department from your allocation, if applicable.
Completion of the Flexible Wellbeing Services Funding Planning Tool is an important part of the process of allocating wellbeing funding for:
-temporary and casual teaching and non-teaching staff
-professional learning and school based initiatives.
Flexible wellbeing services funding will be forwarded to your school when the Flexible Wellbeing Services Funding Planning Tool has been returned to no later than 26 February 2016.