This year we have increased our parent representatives and have recently inducted four new members to join as delegates on the CSPV council. We have also co-opted a member onto the council to represent secondary school leadership and to provide his parent perspective.

Meet our new CSPV Members

Let's hear from our new Parent Member Delegates about their experiences being engaged in Catholic Community and why they chose to join CSPV:

Drew Parkinson - CSPV Parent Member Delegate for Melbourne

Drew has been a member of the school board of St Aloysius College, North Melbourne for the past five years with his youngest daughter (one of four children) in year eleven at the school.

He has a keen interest in being able to actively support the current CSPV campaigns and help define 2022 campaigns and activities being undertaken. He has a strong focus on community values and how we can jointly work together to support education and community initiatives.

In these ever changing times it is also important that we provide continued support for all school staff and students and being part of CSPV helps contribute to and share these learnings.

Matthew Williams - CSPV Co-opted member

Matthew is the Vice Principal of Padua College, Mission, Identity and Community on the Mornington Peninsula. He has many years experience working in various secondary schools in Tasmania and Victoria and has a passion for supporting families and students. Matthew is on the School Advisory Council at St Macartan's Primary School where his three primary school aged children attend.

He is very enthusiastic about being a part of CSPV to contribute secondary school voice and his parent perspective to the forums we provide. 

Yvette Mohan - CSPV Parent Member Delegate for Melbourne

Getting to know the staff and taking part in meetings has opened up my knowledge of what I can expect from the school for my children’s academic achievements.

I have also gained comfort in knowing that the Catholic values are being taught in school and that I can approach the school with concerns and suggestions without any fear.

I have volunteered to take up a position with CSPV since I feel that I will be able to add value to what the organisation aims to achieve.

It is a platform for me as a parent to be able to bring ideas, suggestions and take back to my community what I learn and know from my interactions with other members.

I believe that unless we work together for a common goal – we will not be able to achieve it. 

Bernard Lewis - CSPV Parent Member Delegate for Melbourne

As a father of three children who have attended both primary and secondary Catholic schools I have had the opportunity to become very familiar with the community life within schools whether it has been volunteering at sports days, preparing for open days, gardening, working bees etc. These experiences have always been very enjoyable. Working with and enjoying the company of other parents involved has especially been a great plus.

Several years ago I joined the Parents & Friends Committee at my youngest daughter's Secondary College, St Ignatious College, Drysdale.  This in turn lead to becoming the Parents & Friends Committee representative on the school board. This experience has provided me with a deep insight into how Catholic schools are managed and the hard work that principals, administrators and teaching staff put into their vocation. This experience has now led me to join Catholic School Parents Victoria.

Matt Shanahan - CSPV Parent Member Delegate for Sandhurst

I was previously the chair of the School Board at St Liborius Primary School where our two older kids went to primary school, but we now have all three kids at Marist College Bendigo in years 1, 8 and 10 and I've recently become the Chair of the school's Parent Partnership approach.

My interest in being involved with each schools parent groups stemmed from some research I read describing the benefits to a child's education when their parents are involved in their schooling, and while it has helped deliver this, it's also enabled me to be more involved in our local communities and mix with a great range of people.

A highlight has definitely been the opportunity to travel to Santa Fe in America with a range of other Sandhurst parents, teachers and education professionals, which was an extremely rewarding and educational experience.

Farewell to Gary Coy - CSPV Parent Member Delegate for Melbourne

We bid farewell to Gary Coy who, as a volunteer parent member delegate since 2018, has supported the work of CSPV and contributed in a number of ways to the council growth.

As a committed parent member delegate, then as a Deputy Chair, Gary was able to learn about what is happening in education at a system and state level. His role in his children's school was to contribute to the Parish Education Board and he was instrumental in forming a parent support group at John Paul College, Frankston. We wish Gary all the best and are grateful for his commitment as a volunteer for CSPV.

CSPV Parent Representatives - Are your parents represented?

Over several months CSPV has increased parent representatives from across Victoria. We are aiming to increase parent representatives so that we have one parent contact in every school. If you're not sure if your school is represented, ask your principal if they have nominated a parent. We will soon have a list of schools who are represented on our website so keep an eye on the website for this information.

Why student voice is important right now

Recently we witnessed an insightful interview on ABC Q&A program, with students and professionals on the challenges that are facing students, particuarly those in their final years of schooling. It was important to hear their perspective, both of concern and optimism and what this experience is teaching them.

They also provided some suggestions in what the government may consider as they tackle the uncertainty of their futures, expressing a lack of transparency and information is causing stress and anxiety for students. Watch the full episode by clicking on the link below:

Your Dad tips on creating more moments together

Having celebrated Father's Day last weekend, it's important for Dad's to reflect on how to spend more time with your children, reaping rewards and building strong foundations for life.

The time a father spends with his child is important. Spending quality, one-on-one time together enables you to deeply connect and get to know your child. You get to know their likes, dislikes, worries, fears, inspirations and aspirations. Fathers who spend this time with their children also have been found to be better at caring because this time helps a father to be more sensitive to their child’s need for love, attention and support. Children need to know their dads think they are special.

This article from The Fathering Project explores simple ways to stay connected with your children that impacts their learning and wellbeing.

As parents of children undertaking VCE, VET/VCAL no doubt you may have questions about what will happen if your child is unable to complete some of their requirements this year due to several lockdowns and continued uncertainty in how many more times we will need to move to remote learning. 

CSPV recentlhy attended a meeting with VCCA and received updates for children who are currently studying VCE.

This update is based on information provided by VCAA and relates to the following:

• General Achievement Test (GAT)
• Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED)
• Results release date
• VET/VCAL update

General Achievement Test (GAT)

Following the extension of the lockdown across metropolitan Melbourne VCAA continue to work with the Department of Education and Training along with the Department of Health on a rescheduled date for students to sit the GAT. The rescheduled date for the GAT is now Tuesday 5th October 2021. Further announcements of requirements for students to undertake the GAT will be provided by your respective schools. The GAT is expected to be completed by all students undertaking VCE and scored VCE/VET Unit 3/4 programs in 2021.

VCAA are aware of possible clashes with VCE exams and are working with schools on rescheduling. Please be in touch with your school to find out more about this.

Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED)

The process used in 2020 will be applied for students undertaking VCE and scored VCE/VET Unit 3/4 programs in 2021. Schools will continue to provide school-based assessment scores and grades according to published dates.

Schools will provide students with opportunity to let teachers know of any significant disadvantage experienced as a result of the pandemic through an optional student statement.

We encourage parents to work in partnership with the school as they assess the impact on each student consistent with guidelines they have been provided by VCAA. Once the school has assessed the case they will provide additional information for all students in all studies.

• An expected score for each school based assessment at graded assessment level - this is the score the student would have been expected to achieve if their learning program had not been significantly impacted, and
• An expected grade for each external assessment at graded assessment level - this is the grade the student would have been expected to achieve if their learning program had not been significantly impacted.

CSPV encourage you to be patient with the school and work with them to understand this process and what it means for your child. Schools are being advised regularly by VCAA and your respective diocesan education office in how to manage this process. 

VCAA are confident that continuing to apply the process used in 2020 means that all students will be treated with fairness and equity.

2021 Results release date

The Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED) process and the additional required analysis from VCE and VCAL results release dates is now 16th December 2021. This change has been made in consultation with VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre) to ensure that students who are applying for higher education courses through VTAC will not be disadvantaged. This also ensures the 2021 results are released before the end of school term 4.

VET/VCAL update

It has been a challenging year for VCAL/VET students once again. It is the role of the school to monitor students who are at risk of not meeting the requirements of VCAL. If you have any concerns, please speak with your school VCAL/VET co-ordinator to find out if your child is at risk and how you may support them to meet their requirements.

Schools are responsible for working with RTOs to monitor current results to determine any actions that may need to be taken. 

Where required, teachers of VCAL units have been encouraged to conduct assessments remotely or where community, work or group based activities were to be part of the learning program, to develop alternative assessment activities where required.

Students undertaking Workplace Learning Recognition aligned to their VET can continue their reflections where the total workplace time is less than 80 hours and/or their training enrolment will be less than the 180 hours normally required.

Further advice will become available on the following soon:

• VCAL Special consideration
• Adjustments to VCE/VET scored assessment where a third and final task requiring practical assessment is unable to be completed
• The provision of VET unspecified credit where VCE or VCAL students in their final year are unable to complete the required hours and units of competency to satisfy the VCE or VCAL.

We encourage you to ask questions of teachers at your school related to any of these topics that are relevant to your child so you are able to support them through the final weeks of their learning this year.

Reference: Correspondence and update from VCAA CEO Stephen Gniel, received 17/8/21 and 07/09/21.

CSPV provide opportunities for parent feedback on Senior Secondary Certificate

CSPV recently attended webinars and meetings with VCAA to learn more about this reform and how this will impact students in the coming years. Earlier this year we provided the opportunity for parents to provide their feedback on the draft certificate. There will be further opportunities soon to learn more about this new reform. We hope to provide a report in our next issue of CSPV Term Update.

This is important news for parents of children in early years of secondary schooling as the new certificate will be phased in over the next three years. 

From 2023 there will be 3 certificates offered for students in Victoria:

1. Foundations Pathways Certificate
2. Vocational Specialisation Certificate in VCE
3. VCE – Victorian Certificate of Education

CSPV will provide opportunities for parents to learn more about the new certificates that will be offered from 2023 for year 11 and 12 students in the coming months. Webinars are being planned and discussed with VCAA to keep parents informed.

This is a significant partnership that has developed over many years between VCAA and each of the parent groups in Victorian school sectors. We value this partnership and the opportunities to engage parents further in the curriculum and how to support children in their learning and career pathways development.

You have the opportunity to provide feedback now on the curriculum for the following:

The Foundation Pathways Certificate (FPC)

VCE Vocational Specialisation (VS)

This will close on 12th September so click on the links below to view the curriculum and provide your feedback.

Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor - Pope Francis calls for humanity to care for creation

The Bishops’ Social Justice Statement 2021-22: Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, affirms that “we human beings need a change of heart, mind, and behaviour”. It draws from Scripture, from the theological tradition, from Catholic Social Teaching, and from the wisdom of the world, including the insights of the First Nations.

The Social Justice Statement 2021-22 provides the foundations to ground and inspire efforts to care for creation while responding to the needs of the disadvantaged and excluded. The Statement reflects on creation in and through the Trinity; the sacramentality of all created things; the wonder and beauty available to the contemplative eye; and the need for conversion and change of life.

In the Statement, the Bishops invite the whole Catholic community to join them in taking up Pope Francis’ invitation to a seven-year journey towards total ecological sustainability, guided by seven Laudato Si’ Goals.

These Goals are:

1. Response to the cry of the earth;
2. Response to the cry of the poor;
3. Ecological economics;
4. Sustainable lifestyles;
5. Ecological spirituality;
6. Ecological education;
7. Community engagement and participatory action
   
   The Statement especially encourages Catholic families, communities and organisations to: listen to the First Nations; reflect on the theological foundations offered in Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor; and plan their next steps towards the Laudato Si’ Goals.

Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor will be a useful resource throughout our seven-year journey to total sustainability. Your help in promoting it through your schools is  greatly appreciated.

In this article, we explore an extract from Dr Katrina McLean and Dr Natasha Yates, general practitioners and associate professors at Bond University, acknowledging the validity of concerns about children returning to school next term, given how highly contagious the Delta variant is.

Rising infections from the Delta strain of COVID-19 have pushed several schools in Australia’s east coast to close to curb transmission. And while state governments iron out plans for a safe reopening of classrooms, most parents and teachers are concerned about keeping children protected once face-to-face learning commences.

“Many parents and schools have concerns about how to best protect children from COVID-19,” the experts wrote in article published in The Conversation. “There’s also the worry children will catch the virus at school and take it back to their families and communities.”

Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lessons learned during Child Protection Week

During this National Child Protection Week, the message from the Daniel Morcombe Foundation is that child sexual abuse is everybody’s responsibility. Teaching children that they have the right to be safe, that they are allowed to say no to anything or anyone that makes them uncomfortable, and that there are adults who will help them has the power to prevent harm.

These messages also empower children who are experiencing abuse to tell someone who can help. In fact, help seeking is the theme of Australia’s Biggest Child Safety Lesson for both 4-7-year-olds and 8-12-year-olds this year.

Common mistakes when teaching personal safety and how to avoid them - for Parents

Teaching personal safety is extremely important. But it can be hard to know where to start.

Avoiding the conversation

We know that when children are explicitly taught personal safety skills are more likely to seek help if they feel scared, sad or unsafe. It can be difficult to know where to start, but teaching personal safety is an ongoing conversation which is built upon as children grow.

Waiting until children go through puberty

The foundations of personal safety education are not in talking about sexual activity but in feelings, public and private body parts and the rules about touch etc. The average age at which sexual abuse first occurs is nine years old (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017), making age-appropriate personal safety education in the early years vitally important.

Making the conversation scary

Personal safety education doesn’t need to be frightening or to destroy children’s positive view of the word. It can be taught in a non-threatening and empowering manner, focusing on children’s right to be safe and the people around them who will help them if they ever need it.

Only talking about strangers

Sadly, children are most likely to be harmed by someone known to them or their family. Over 90% of child sexual abuse perpetrated by adults is carried out by an adult male known to the child. Adults should be aware of patterns of grooming behaviour, which you can read more about in the Foundation’s Child Abuse Factsheet.

Only talking about adults

We also need to acknowledge that it’s not just adults that can harm children. Children may be exposed to harmful sexual behaviour of their peers. It is important to reinforce that children have the right to say no to anyone and anything that makes them feel unsafe.

Placing too much responsibility on the child

It is adults’ responsibility to keep kids safe. Ensure that children know who they can come to if they ever feel unsafe by selecting five Safety Helpers.

Make sure that at least one Safety Helper lives outside the home. Reinforce that getting help when we need it is always the right thing to do.

Earlier this year we surveyed parents about what they would like to see addressed in Catholic schools. Under parent engagement in child safety parents responded by sharing they would like to understand how children are being taught about child safety in Catholic learning communities.

Catholic schools have responded positively and proactively to Ministerial Order No 870, by updating and further developing child safety related policies, procedures and strategies. Child safety policies and commitments must also be lived in practice and be responsive to emerging issues, child safety risks and practice.

Every person in Catholic education recognises that it is an ongoing process. Creating cultural change and embedding child-safe practices in all dimensions of school life requires planning, continuous review and commitment from the whole school community.

The school leadership and governing authority are responsible for ensuring there are systems and processes for regular reviews and refinement of school strategies, allocation of appropriate resources so that protecting children from abuse is embedded in the everyday practice of school leaders, teaching and non-teaching staff, clergy and volunteers.

Click on the videos below for examples of schools who explain how they implement the child safe policies across various diocese in Victoria:

Reference: CEVN, August 2021

New Child Safe Standards Announced

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards (Standards) that came into effect on 1 July 2022.

The eleven new Standards will replace Victoria’s current seven standards and principles. They set out minimum requirements and outline the actions organisations must take to keep children and young people safe.

Key changes include new requirements:

• to involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
• for a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
• to manage the risk of child abuse in online environments
• for greater clarity on the governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe.

Why has this come about?

The Standards are changing to provide more consistency with Standards in the rest of Australia and to strengthen protection from child abuse.

Victoria has had mandatory Child Safe Standards since January 2016.

In 2017, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) recommended that a new version of child safe standards be adopted by each Australian state and territory. 

In 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) undertook a review of the Victorian Standards to ensure they were as strong as possible and to consider how they could better align with the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

What are the new Standards?

An overview is provided below:

What help is available?

The Commission has produced initial guidance to assist organisations to understand the new Standards:

More guidance to help organisations move to the new Standards will be released over the coming months.

To understand more about child safety in organisations, speak with your Child Safe Standards regulator, peak or industry body or contact the Commission for Children and Young People:

Contact the Commission:

Visit the Commission’s website:  www.ccyp.vic.gov.au
Telephone the Commission:  1300 782 978 or (03) 8601 5281
Email the Commission:  contact@ccyp.vic.gov.au

What is CSPV doing in relation to the new Child Safe Standards?

CSPV has been involved in supporting and informing drafting the new Guide for Creating a Child Safe Organisation by providing feedback from a parent perspective. CSPV meets with CCYP each term as part of a VIT Community Expectations Group alongside other key stakeholders to discuss child safety from various perspectives.

One of the purposes of CSPV is to promote Catholic education as a first choice for families. There are many great schools in the regional diocese throughout Victoria. Several schools are seeking new teachers and school leaders to continue to provide quality education for the families in these communities. 

Watch the videos below to learn more about two of our Catholic schools in the diocese of Ballarat - St Brigid's College in Horsham and St Mary's Primary School in Warracknabeal.

(Videos courtesy of DOBCEL and SBP Creative Media)

Principal Recruitment opportunity at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Warracknabeal. 

How are you connecting with CSPV and how are we connecting with you as parents of children in Catholic schools?

There are various ways we are connecting with you through this newsletter, social media, through webinars and in future podcasts, as well as through surveys to gather your feedback on key issues in education. You can continue to connect with us through the following mediums:

Social Media

CSPV can be found on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. We share information daily and weekly that is relevant to Catholic school parents, providing insights, increasing awareness of current news and events and providing opportunities for parents to learn from experts in various areas of interest to support children's learning and development. 

If you're not yet connected or following our pages, click on the links below:

Contribute parent perspective to reviews and submissions

As a parent of children in Catholic schools your voice is valued and welcomed for many reviews and submissions we write each year in response to consultation on various topics that impact parents and students as well as Catholic schools.

You can be included on our database to have the opportunity to share your feedback and perspective on future reviews by clicking on the link below and completing out expression of interest form.

Register a CSPV parent representative

Does your school have a CSPV parent representative yet?

CSPV invites principals to register a parent representative to connect and liaise with CSPV. This is not a CSPV membership position but a representative allocated in every school to liaise with CSPV and receive information that will require input and feedback.

To register a parent representative at your Catholic school, the principal of the school must complete the following registration and nominate a suitable parent to be their school representative:

Please click on the link below to complete the online registration form via the link provided to nominate a parent representative from your school to be the liaison/connection with CSPV.

Please click on the following link for further information about this request and the parent representative role: CSPV Parent Representative Description.pdf

Subscribe to CSPV newsletter

CSPV provides a newsletter every term to explore the four key areas of advocacy and provide an update on our work with parents, principals, system leaders and government. The newsletter is sent to all of our subscribers which includes all schools across the state of Victoria. 

CSPV welcomes article contributions to the newsletter, especially from parents of children in Catholic schools who are invited to share stories of experiences on their Catholic school journey.

In 2020 CSPV began scoping a major project to develop a state-wide framework for parent leadership in Catholic education. 

The project will span over the next five years and will include five stages of development. CSPV will be collaborating and consulting with key stakeholders in education and especially with parents and carers to co-design the framework and potential training opportunities for parents in each of the four diocese across Victoria.

The first stage involves finalising the vision for the project and exploring resources required to enable the project to develop and evolve over the next few years. This is an exciting time for parents in Catholic schools as it is a time for rebuilding and regrouping after the challenges of the pandemic. 

CSPV encourage you to be involved in this project should the opportunity arise in your school to participate in focus groups or surveys that we may send out over the course of the project. 

We are looking forward to providing parents with many opportunities to share and develop leadership strengths over the course of the project and in the future as we work together in partnership with schools to guide and support children to thrive.