School chaplaincy program
Chaplaincy and student wellbeing services play a key role in supporting schools to provide pastoral care.
Schools’ pastoral care programs offer a range of services and strategies to support the social and emotional wellbeing of students.
Public schools in Western Australia are not required to have a chaplain or student wellbeing officer. If a school chooses to provide a chaplain or student wellbeing officer, they must use a service provider. Chaplains and student wellbeing officers may be of any faith or no faith.
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- Service providers
- Program funding
- Participating schools
- Chaplain and Student Wellbeing Officer requirements and qualifications
Schools do not employ their own chaplains or student wellbeing officers. Schools can choose any service provider or one with an agreement in place. These providers are shown in Table 1.
Albany, Broomehill-Tambellup, Cranbrook, Denmark, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Katanning, Kojonup and Mt Barker
Metropolitan and regional areas
Remote and very remote areas
City of Mandurah, Shires of Boddington, Murray, Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Waroona
Metropolitan and regional areas
Remote and very remote areas
Metropolitan and regional areas
Remote and very remote areas
Metropolitan and regional areas
Remote and very remote areas
There are state and national programs in place to fund chaplaincy and student wellbeing officer services for schools in Western Australia. For schools to be eligible for funding, they must meet specific requirements.
Western Australian Government chaplaincy and student wellbeing officer program
The chaplaincy and student wellbeing officer program is an initiative funded by the Western Australian Government to support the emotional wellbeing of students. This program was developed in response to increased demand for services from Western Australian public schools.
Australian Government National Student Wellbeing Program
The Australian Government National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) is now known as the National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP). The project agreement for the National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) is an agreement between the state and the Commonwealth of Australia. The aim of the program is to deliver student wellbeing services to Australian schools. The agreement sets out specific roles and responsibilities and financial arrangements.
Key changes to the program include:
- renaming the NSCP to the NSWP
- the option for schools to select a chaplain or student wellbeing officer
- a broadened definition of chaplain to include chaplains of any faith or no faith
- recognition of a wider range of minimum qualifications and competencies
- emphasising the program offers a complementary non-religious service in schools
- the limitation of out-of-scope services that chaplains and student wellbeing officers may provide.
Participating schools are eligible to receive up to $20,280 in metropolitan or regional areas and $24,336 in remote or very remote areas.
Approved 2024 to 2027 funding distribution
Table 2: Approved 2024 to 2027 funding distribution per annum | School sectors | Student distribution | School funding figures | Administrative funding figures | Total annual
funding |
|---|
| Public | 66% | $4,972,410 | $180,900 | $5,153,310 |
| Independent | 18% | $1,351,067 | $25,500 | $1,376,567 |
| Catholic | 16% | $1,172,623 | $25,500 | $1,198,123 |
| Total | 100% | $7,496,100 | $231,900 | $7,728,000 |
Cross-sector panel
Table 3 shows the panel membership of the cross-sector panel which selects and prioritises schools for funding. Each education sector runs their own application process to identify schools to be funded through the NSWP, from 2024 onwards.
Panel membership
Executive Director, Statewide Services
WA Department of Education
Assistant Executive Director,
Service Delivery (Chair)
Executive Director
Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA)
Executive Director
Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA)
Principal Consultant
Statewide Services
Terms of reference
In accordance with their role, the cross-sector panel:
- ensures delivery of all aspects of the project agreement
- ensures appropriate processes are in place to meet the conditions of funding and distribute funding to schools for the purposes of the agreement
- publishes guidelines and other relevant documentation ensure information is available on relevant websites
- reports on deliverable outputs.
Participation in the school chaplaincy and student wellbeing officer program by public schools and students is voluntary. Parents can withdraw their child from the program by advising the principal. If a parent chooses to opt out of the program their child will not have any formal pastoral care contact with the school chaplain or student wellbeing officer.
Schools must ensure processes are in place to meet the expectations of parents. Schools may provide information about the chaplaincy and student wellbeing program to students throughout the year.
For a list of WA public schools funded in 2024 through the Western Australian Government chaplaincy and student wellbeing officer program, refer to In-school State-funded Chaplaincy Program.
For a list of WA schools funded in 2024 through the National Student Wellbeing Program, refer to:
- National Student Wellbeing Program - WA public schools
- National Student Wellbeing Program - Catholic Education Western Australia schools
- National Student Wellbeing Program - Association of Independent Schools Western Australia schools.
Under the school chaplaincy and student wellbeing program, chaplains and student wellbeing officers may be of any faith or no faith. They must meet certain requirements including having one of the following recognised qualifications:
