SU Qld Chaplaincy
School Chaplains are in the prevention and rescue business – helping students find a better way to deal with issues ranging from family breakdown and loneliness to drug abuse, depression and other significant personal events.
They provide a listening ear and a caring presence for kids in crisis and those who just need a friend.
Working alongside other caring professionals in the school community, SU Qld Chaplains care for young people’s spiritual and emotional needs through pastoral care, activity programs, community outreach and adventure-based learning.
SU Qld Chaplains provide a personal point of Christian contact, care and support for students, teachers and their families within their schools.
The Chaplain cares for students struggling with a wide range of issues, including: family problems, confusing relationships, friendship issues, peer pressure, self-esteem issues, bullying and stress and anxiety, whilst at the same time builds productive relationships with our entire school community.
Representatives from local churches, schools and communities form Local Chaplaincy Committees (LCCs) to administer and raise funds for their particular Chaplains.
The Chaplain must ensure that all services and programs she delivers:
i. are approved by the Principal,
ii. have the appropriate prior parental/guardian consent, and
iii. have the voluntary consent of the students who participate in the programs or service.
Our school provides a yearly progress report to Scripture Union (the Funding recipient) and the report is lodged with the Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations (DEEWR).
The school community participates in an annual consultation process in Term 3 of each year to ensure that the Program continues to be relevant and effective for the needs of our school community. The consultation includes:
invitations to comment in the school newsletter,
surveys to parents from the P&C Association and from the school via an online survey,
records of the use of the Chaplaincy Service and programs,
parent feedback throughout the year,
comments and minutes from P&C meetings.
Voluntary participation in the service
It is not compulsory for students to access the Chaplaincy service or programs run by the Chaplain. Parents must give written consent before their students can utilise the service. Parents/guardians give permission by completing a permission form, obtainable on request at the school main office. The completed form is then given to the school’s Chaplain.
How to opt out of the service
Because access to the Chaplaincy service activities is solely on a voluntary basis, with written permission necessary from parents, students will only participate when this requirement is in place. Parents opt out by not consenting to their child’s participation in Chaplaincy activity.
Complaints handling process
Under this Program, a complaint is described as an expression of concern or dissatisfaction following an incident or pattern of behaviour by a NSCSWP funded chaplain or in relation to a particular NSCSWP service or funding recipient. Complaints can also relate to any aspect of the NSCSWP.
All complaints about the school chaplain or the chaplaincy service should be directed to the Principal in the first instance. All attempts are made to resolve complaints at the local level in the first instance. If the complaint cannot be resolved at the school level or the complainant does not wish the matter to be dealt with at the local level, then the complaint will be escalated to the Scripture Union, (the Funding Recipient) or to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). All Code of Conduct matters and significant complaints are referred by the Principal to Scripture Union (the Funding Recipient).
The Chaplain has signed a ‘Code of Conduct for School Chaplains under the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program’. The school has a Risk Management Plan that outlines strategies to address complaints made against the school Chaplain.
Recognition and acknowledgment of the program
The source of funding enabling Scripture Union to employ a Chaplain to work two days each week at Bohlevlae State School is the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations under the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Program.