Kerry, St Luke’s, Miranda — Chaplain in a public school

I wanted to be a school chaplain in honour of my daughter, who passed away. She was going to be a teacher in a primary school. She loved Jesus and our family loved doing children’s ministry together. I’ve now been working with Scripture Union Australia as a chaplain in a public school for eight years, two days a week.

I love what I do. Every chaplain in a public school does different things in line with their skills and the school’s needs. 

A typical day starts with whoever is in the staff room. I chat to staff and check in on them. Then I head out to the playground and say “Good morning” to as many kids as I can. Sometimes I support children struggling with separation from their parents; there might be tears. 

I am blessed to chat with children one to one. Sometimes children are referred to me who are struggling with anxiety, behaviour, focus and motivation. Sometimes they just need a break from the classroom. Sometimes kids don’t go into class well, so it’s talking them down from their worries or frustrations. I’m an extra pair of hands they can call on. 

I have wellbeing chats with staff as needed or noticed. Staff all have families and things they have to deal with in life. Sometimes I support them to support their students. I also call parents and work out strategies for supporting their kids with them. 

I go into classrooms and do wellbeing activities and programs that highlight topics such as kindness and gratitude. I provide parent seminars on a variety of topics, and consult with the school counsellor and work as part of the learning support team. Anywhere you think you could be pastoral and supportive, I try to be there.

Anywhere you think could be pastoral and supportive, I try to be there

Public school chaplaincy comes under the Department of Education’s National Student Wellbeing Program guidelines. This essential support provides social, emotional and pastoral support for students, staff and families, giving Australian children opportunities to participate, learn and grow. 

The school community refers to me as the chaplain, and they know that I come from a Christian faith background. I tell those I’m supporting that I’m praying for them. For those in our community who are seeking spiritual support, or wish to discuss matters of faith, my door is always open, just as it is for those who need social and emotional support. 

I get random questions often. One staff member, who doesn’t identify as having a faith, asked, “Did your faith help you when your daughter was sick?” I was able to say, “Yes it did, and it gives me hope as I live with the grief”.

I love working with kids. Their energy and watching them interact is joyful. I know that I am helping people go through really tough stuff and while that is difficult, there is still joy in being able to do that. We can reflect love and compassion in a way that others don’t get the opportunity to do. The teachers have to teach, the parents have to parent, but I can be a person who is completely dedicated to care and support. It’s a real honour.

I do wellbeing lunches for the staff and take soup, create a dessert bar or provide other small treats for them. We established a wellbeing week and the teachers enjoy a little pampering and extra care throughout that week. My focus is on caring for the whole school community and finding ways that I can make their day a bit brighter. 

It’s good to recognise that chaplains are in schools because their heart is for Jesus. They need prayer and support and wisdom in managing what they say. Funding for chaplaincy programs can be difficult. While there is funding for some schools under the National Schools Wellbeing Program, that is not available to all schools. 

I know hundreds of schools across NSW would have a chaplain tomorrow if funding was available, and so it really relies on churches and individuals being willing to finance chaplains and looking for ways to work with them.

Please pray:

• for chaplaincy roles in public schools to remain available 
• for the wellbeing of chaplains as they hear the hard stories of life’s challenges and support others with their burdens
• that chaplains would be well resourced to run programs that support and care for the unique needs of the school community they serve
• that those who have questions or who desire spiritual support will turn to their school chaplains

This is part of a three-part series on school chaplaincy.
This story is part of our Choices: Anglican Education feature in the June-July edition of Southern Cross magazine