Society & Culture

Polling: School Chaplains

Media release

Qualifications, Not Religion, Should Decide Who Provides Pastoral Care in Public Schools

The Australia Institute surveyed a sample of 1,379 Australians about the hiring
conditions for pastoral care workers in Australian public schools.

  • The results show:
    Seven in 10 Australians (71%) do not know the Federal Government funds a
    program in which people providing pastoral care services to students are hired
    on the basis of religion.
  • Two in three Australians (66%) agree that pastoral care workers should be
    employed on the basis of qualifications and experience only, and not be
    required to have the endorsement of a religious group (18% disagree).
  • Over half of Australians (56%) support their state or territory hiring pastoral
    support workers directly – rather than through a third-party agency – which
    may impose religious belief or faith conditions on employment.

    • More Australians don’t know or are unsure (28%) than disagree with the
      proposal (16%).

Full report

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