Some Australian schools are dropping chaplains

With changes to the federally funded school chaplaincy scheme, to allow schools to employ welfare workers rather than chaplains, some schools are now dropping chaplains. According to the Canberra Times:

The schools are taking advantage of changes to the Federal Government's $222 million chaplaincy scheme, which previously stipulated that a welfare worker could only be appointed if there was proof that no chaplain was available.

Government figures show that of 2512 schools that have reapplied for funding under the scheme, 208 - or 8per cent - have proposed to employ a welfare worker.

Most of the others - 2236 or 89 per cent - indicated they wanted to stick with a chaplain or religious pastoral care worker, while 3 per cent said they had not decided which they wanted.

H/T Cary Lenahan