Lessons from COVID-19: The School Chaplains' Perspective

Abstract

This article aims to contribute to the literature relating to school chaplaincy during the COVID-19 pandemic. It adopts an Australian faith-based education system case study to explore school chaplains' insights of their roles, interactions with staff and students, as well as their perceptions of professional development and support available during the January 2020-December 2021 pandemic period. This research explored both quantitative and qualitative survey data. The role of school chaplains was found to be significantly impacted during COVID-19, affecting the nature of the support they provided to students, staff, and the school community during this time. A number of findings are presented for consideration that may help to improve school chaplaincy support, with learnings for both school chaplain leaders and the broader faith-based education system.