School Counselling & Chaplaincy

Supporting students in Primary and Secondary schools

CatholicCare Victoria provides School Counselling and School Chaplaincy to support students and their families, enhance student wellbeing, and provide early intervention to mental health and wellbeing issues. 

Our School Counselling & Chaplaincy services are available to all Primary and Secondary schools (Catholic or otherwise).

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School Counselling

Student counselling helps children and teenagers to better manage social and emotional issues, supports improved mental health, and reduces the likelihood of them engaging in risk taking behaviour. 

School counselling is private communication between a counsellor and a student. Speaking to a counsellor allows students to discuss their social and emotional issues in a safe, non-judgemental and non-threatening environment.

Our School Counsellors can support students to:

• develop strategies for dealing with issues of concern
• find ways of managing and reducing stress and anxiety
• deal with issues that may be getting in the way of their educational participation, or that are impacting on their friendships and other relationships
• address issues resulting in depression, eating disorders, behavioural problems or poor sleep

Having a student counsellor in your school can also help your school community better respond to sometimes challenging issues such as self-harm, bullying, depression, anxiety and risky behaviours.

It also enables students to get support which they may otherwise not have been able to access outside of school.

We employ psychologists with specialisations in educational, clinical and counselling psychology and place them within a school community. We also provide clinical assessments to guide educational planning.

How do I access this service?

School Counselling services are available to all schools across Greater Melbourne, Geelong and Gippsland and some other regional areas of Victoria. Our counsellors are clinically trained psychologists who work with students from any faith.

When School Counselling is purchased by a school, all students within that school community are eligible for the service.

Please contact our East Melbourne office to discuss your school’s needs.

Fees

School purchase of this service covers all ongoing costs. Fees are not charged to individual students or their families. Please contact our East Melbourne office for a quote.

CatholicCare Victoria is an endorsed provider with the National School Chaplaincy Program. If your school receives funding from this program, we can assist you with providing chaplaincy services through our School Counselling program.

School Chaplaincy

Schools have a strong impact on a child’s overall wellbeing - our Pastoral Care Workers work alongside teaching and wellbeing staff to support children, families and the community so that school is a positive experience for all.

Issues Pastoral Care Workers may provide support for include:

• grief and loss
• family separation
• social issues within the school e.g. bullying, conflict, friendships
• resilience and coping with anxiety
• self esteem
• developing social competence
• parenting

How do I access this service?

Schools in Ballarat, Bendigo, Hamilton, Mildura, Warrnambool and surrounding areas can access School Chaplaincy by contacting one of our offices below.

Fees

There is no charge to access this service - CatholicCare Victoria is funded to provide School Chaplaincy in Ballarat, Bendigo, Hamilton, Mildura, Warrnambool and surrounding areas.

Schools may also self-fund Pastoral Care Workers through this program.

School Chaplaincy brochure 

More information

Our School Counsellors and Pastoral Care Workers can refer students and families to other services we offer at CatholicCare Victoria, to support their individual needs and provide specialised support.

We work with Australian Catholic University and Monash University. 

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