NationalSchoolChaplaincyProgramme

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

WhatistheNationalSchoolChaplaincyProgramme?

TheNationalSchoolChaplaincyProgramme(NSCP)isan AustralianGovernmentfundedinitiativethatprovidesfundingfortheemploymentofchaplainsinAustralianschools.

TheaimoftheNSCP istosupporttheemotionalwellbeingofstudents byprovidingpastoralcareservicesandstrategiesthatsupporttheemotionalwellbeingofthebroaderschoolcommunity.

TheQueensland DepartmentofEducationandTraining(DET) administerstheNSCPinQueensland.

Whatismeantby‘pastoralcare’?

‘Pastoral care’ is the practice of looking after the personal needs of students — not just their academicneeds — through the provision of general spiritual and personal advice.

Whoisachaplain?

TheNSCPdefinesa chaplainasanindividualwho:

1.is recognised by the school community and the appropriate governing authority for the school as having the skillsand experience to deliver school chaplaincy to the school community

2.is recognised through formal ordination, commissioning, recognised religious qualifications or endorsement by a recognised or accepted religious institution

3.meets the NSCP’s minimum qualification requirements.

WhataretheNSCP’sminimumqualificationrequirements?

Theminimum qualification requirementforachaplain iseither:

1.aCertificateIVinYouthWork

2.aCertificateIVinPastoralCare

3.anequivalentqualificationtotheabove.

Thecertificateorequivalentqualificationmustalsoincludecompetenciesin‘mentalhealth’and‘makingappropriatereferrals’.

How muchfundingdoestheAustralianGovernmentprovideunder the NSCP?

The NSCP commenced in 2015 and provides up to $17.57 million per annum to Queensland, over four years, to fund chaplains in state and non-state schools. The NSCP concludes December 2018.

HowmuchNSCPfundingdoschoolsreceive?

The NSCP provides up to $20,000, or up to $24,000 in remoteareas, per annum, to each school prioritised for funding.

Are there conditions attached to the engagement

of chaplains via the NSCP?

The NSCP Project Agreement states that chaplains may be from any faith. Chaplains are not permitted to proselytise and must respect, accept and be sensitive to other people’s views, values and beliefs. Chaplains must comply with state legislation and policies — including, but not limited to, child protection matters — as well as meet minimum qualification requirements.

How can parents find out what the chaplain does in their child’s school?

The principal should establish communication processes to provide parents at enrolment, and/or on request, information which outlines the school’s chaplaincy service. This supports parents to makean informed decision regarding their child/ren’s participation in chaplaincy activities and/or provide consent for ongoing one-on-one meetings. It is useful to publish this information on the school’s website, in the parent handbook and/or in the school newsletter.

Can a school choose a student welfare worker instead of a chaplain under the NSCP?

The NSCP is strictly for the provision of chaplaincy services only. Student welfare workers are not funded under the NSCP.

However, schools may wish to deliver student welfare worker services using other funding sources, such as community raised funds.

What methodology was used to select schools for funding for the 2016-2018 school years?

All Queensland state, Catholic and independent schools were eligible to apply for funding under the NSCP through an online application process. Applications were considered and prioritised for funding using the following criteria:

  • Evidence that the school community supported the introduction or continuation of a chaplaincy service within the school
  • A demonstrated need for the NSCP determined through a combination of:

–EQ Zone Group — a broad classification for Queensland schools based on a number of criteria, including the Accessibility Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), as in metropolitan, provincial, rural or remote

–disadvantage code for the school based on the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSED) status

–number of full-time enrolments in the school

–proportion of full-time Indigenous students enrolled at the school

–provisionof anexistingchaplaincy orstudent welfareservice,fundedthroughtheNSCPin2015,orthroughthe2015StateGovernment funds.

Decisions made by the cross-sector panel – made up of representatives from DET, Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) and Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) – were final.

If a school withdraws from the NSCP, the Department will reallocate funds to an alternative school, based on the school’s original application and the original cross-sector panel assessment. The non-state school sector makes independent decisions about sector funding to their schools based on the original application process and according to existing Service Agreements.

NSCP funded state schools, through their Accredited Employing Authority, are required to demonstrate to the Department the ongoing engagement of a chaplain and capacity to use the allocated funding at the conclusion of each term of each year of the NSCP.

SchoolsunabletodemonstratethismayrisklosingtheirNSCP fundingallocation.

NSCP funded non-state schools are required to report directly to their respective schooling authority, QCEC or ISQ.

When didNSCP applications close?

Applications for the NSCP funding closed on 13 October 2015and all NSCP funds have been fully allocated.

Will the NSCP continue after December 2018?

Continuing the NSCP beyond 2018 is an Australian Government decision.

Additionalinformation

Additional information regarding chaplaincy services in state schools is contained in the Department’s Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Services policy statement and supporting documents available at:

For additional information regarding chaplaincy services in non-state schools, refer to contact details noted below.

Contactdetails

For further information, contact:

Stateschools—

Independentschools—Jacky Dawson

Email: or 07 3228 1520

Catholicschools—JohnPercy

Email: 3316 5840