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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (23 October) . . Page.. 4127 ..

In relation to counselling services in ACT Government schools:

How many school counsellors are currently employed in the government schooling system;

Does this reach the target as announced in the Budget to provide a youth worker for every government high school. If not, when will this target be met;

Has the number of school counsellors increased since the injection of $215,000 for counselling services in the 2003-04 Budget;

How much of the $215,000 allocated in the Budget has been spent to date. What is the breakdown of expenditure and what has been delivered for that expenditure;

What counselling services are currently being provided specifically to help students cope with the aftermath of the bushfires;

How many schools are still providing counselling services specifically in relation to the bushfires;

What is the additional cost to the education budget for counselling services in school specifically relating to the bushfires;

Will this additional expenditure mean services in other areas of schooling will not be able to be provided. If so, please detail, if not, where will the additional funds come from to pay for bushfire counselling.

Ms Gallagher

50 full time equivalent (FTE) counsellors are currently employed in ACT government schools.

The 17 youth worker positions announced in the 2003-04 Budget are in addition to existing counsellor positions. The first eight youth workers will commence at the beginning of the 2004 school year. An additional nine positions are planned for the beginning of the 2005 school year.

The $215,000 announced in the 2003-04 budget is for youth worker positions in ACT government high schools, not additional counsellor positions. The number of school counsellor positions has remained at 50 FTE.

None of the $215 000 has been expended to date. This funding is for the youth worker salaries for the first half of the 2004 calendar year.

A range of strategies and programs has been put in place to support students, staff and parents who were affected by the bushfires. The support includes:

Individual counselling of fire affected students using appropriate strategies such as 'Bushfire and me' developed by Dr Brett McDermott;

Group work for students;

Individual advice and counselling to parents and staff;

Consultation with teachers who have fire affected students in their class;

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