“It’s pleasing to see some of today’s funding announcements delivering on promises made to parents prior to last year’s election,” said Council President, Alison Elliott. “For example, the funding for 25 more youth and social workers in our schools is very welcome.”

“Schools are a key place for support to be offered to students and families, but parents regularly report difficulty accessing support due to limited staff. These additional youth and social worker positions are much needed.”

“These specialist staff can make all the difference to students struggling to engage, or with mental health challenges,” she said.

“We are also excited to see the Headstart Program being funded. This is a great approach to supporting college students on their pathway through acquiring practical skills and qualifications and on to employment.”

“It’s also great to see the Government continue its significant expenditure on electronic devices for students,” said Ms Elliott. “Certainly the importance of these devices being available to everyone has been highlighted in recent months with the rapid switch to remote learning.”

“With more time spent online, parents are more worried about eSafety, so it is also good to see the Government committing to a program to address this.”

“We look forward to future announcements on much needed public school infrastructure spending to cater for growing student numbers and fund upgrades of aging school buildings,” she said.

Released October 2, 2021