National School Chaplaincy Program

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:49): I seek leave to ask a question of the acting education minister on the subject of the school chaplaincy program.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: The school chaplaincy program is funded by the federal government but delivered under the responsibility of the states. Last week in Senate estimates, minister Simon Birmingham responded to questions stating:

'Chaplains are not permitted to proselytise as part of the program,' and if that occurred, 'We would seek to have the relevant jurisdiction investigate that.'

Yesterday, in The Advertiser, a spokesperson from the education department stated that:

Under no circumstances were workers allowed to try to convert students.

In South Australia, the Schools Ministry Group has won the $11.5 million tender to deliver the chaplaincy services in our public schools. Its website states that it is:

…the employer of more than 300 Pastoral Care Workers in SA government schools and is an approved Chaplaincy Service provider of the South Australian Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) through the National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP).

According to that same website, the DECD website, the minimum qualifications for employment as a pastoral care worker under the program includes Certificate IV in Youth Work or pastoral care or an equivalent qualification which must include competencies in 'mental health' and 'making appropriate referrals'. The onus there on assessing such competencies is placed on the school or service provider. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister outline what safeguards are in place in South Australia to ensure that the chaplaincy program is operating as it should according to these guidelines?

2. If any parent, student or school staff member has a concern about any aspect of the program, what is the process for those complaints to be heard and addressed?

3. What records are maintained about such complaints and investigations into this program in South Australia, and how are they made known to the community?

4. What is the role of the department, rather than the individual schools, in ensuring that pastoral care workers employed under the program are in fact competent in mental health and referrals?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:51): I am happy to refer the honourable member's questions—well, I'm the acting minister, so to my office—and bring back a reply. It's more likely to be the minister because I think he returns from leave in the very near future, but I'm sure when he responds to the question and he responds on our behalf that the minister will be indicating clearly that we, too, are opposed to proselytising in government schools in South Australia.