Parent Talk 2025 Issue 2

Welcome to Parent Talk

Dear Parents and Carers

I hope you all had a peaceful, holy Easter time and enjoyed some time off with your family over the holiday break.

As we grieve the loss of Pope Francis, we are reminded of his powerful teachings about family life in Amoris laetitia (The Joy of Love) addressing the pastoral care of families in 2016. In this he wrote: 'Schools do not replace parents, but complement them. This is a basic principle: all other participants in the process of education are only able to carry out their responsibilities in the name of the parents, with their consent and, to a certain degree, with their authorization.' We give thanks for the gift of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace.

Our team relaxed after a very busy Term 1. At our Term 1 meetings (on 12 and 13 March) for the Council and Aboriginal Committee we were thrilled to have so many parent representatives attend from around the dioceses. Members were given their annual induction, we reviewed our 2025 work plan, began a review of the CCSP Constitution, and listened to some great presentations from Catholic Schools NSW and CatholicCare Sydney – see the articles below for information about the Keep School Funding Fair Campaign and Parent Line, a free telephone service for parents and carers. We also collated members’ views and experiences to add to our submission to the Select Committee on Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales, ensuring that Catholic parents’ voices are heard loud and clear in this landscape.

Advocacy

Since our Term 1 Parent Talk, we have continued to provide leadership, advocacy and support for all parents in our dioceses, hosting and attending meetings and events:

• NESA & Urbis Online Workshop - with Education of Students with Disability Forum members - Review of the Higher School Certificate Disability Provisions program
• Diocese of Wollongong St John Vianney Co-Cathedral Annual Education Mass
• Consultation on the draft Online Safety (Age-Restricted Social Media Platforms) Rules 2025 on behalf of CSPA
• Parents and child-development experts, Targeted consultation on the draft Online Safety Rules - Age Assurance Trial
• Submitted four abstracts to present at the National Catholic Education Conference in August 2025
• Presentation to Avila for CSNSW
• Meeting with principal of Dunlea, Engadine
• Discussion with parent group at Holy Spirit Bellambi
• Phone meeting with Minister Kate Washington about Braille Services for schools
• CSNSW Consent and Respectful Relationships Education - Roundtable Forum
• NESA/CCSP - Term 1, 2025 Stakeholder Meeting with Paul Martin, CEO
• Recruitment of new administrative operations assistant for CCSP
• NSW Curriculum Reform Parent Roundtable
• Inquiry into the impacts of harmful pornography, witness confirmation (NSW Parliament House)
• Submission to Select Committee on Foundational and Disability Supports Available for Children and Young People in New South Wales
• ACU Presentation of the 2024 Annual Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey Report
• CSPA Advocacy Working Party Meeting
• Visit to St Peter's Catholic College Tuggerah
• Kathleen Burrows institute lecture (St John's College within The University of Sydney)
• CSNSW Board Stakeholder Event
• CCSP and P & C Federation of NSW meeting with CEO Gemma Quinn

We have continued to advocate for Catholic school parents and their right to choice when it comes to education for their children. Recently you may have seen Mr Murat Dizdar, the Secretary of the Department of Education, on the ABC’s Australian Story, stating that the option for alternative schools to public ones ‘needs to be debated and discussed’. CCSP wrote a letter to Mr Dizdar on 8 April 2025 expressing our concern about his challenge to the existence of the non-government school sector. As we emphasised in the letter: ‘As parents and carers of students in Catholic schools, our capacity to choose a setting that best suits the needs of our child is recognised in the NSW Education Act 1990 s22. Indeed, the Act reinforces the role of parents as having the primary responsibility for their child’s education.’

I was also quoted in Catholic Weekly speaking about parents’ concerns about the impact of harmful pornography based on a survey of parents conducted by CCSP, which indicated clear support for further government regulation around access, commenting that this stemmed from “parents’ own feelings of inadequacy around how to manage social media [because] it is growing at a pace faster than they can understand.” Read the article here: https://catholicweekly.com.au/nsw-holds-first-public-hearing-into-pornography-inquiry/

Chair Anne Fehon and I also attended NSW’s first public hearing into the impacts of harmful pornography on behalf of Catholic school parents, presenting as witnesses. You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/PmSPx22RNns?si=-KeaNN9B2-V2rymv. Anne and I address the inquiry on camera at the 4 hours and 17 minutes point.

Term 1  Webinars

Thank you to everyone who came to our free Term 1 webinars – we hope you learnt something!

• Curriculum K-12 Webinar for Parents (Online webinar with Mary Ryan) - SchoolSpeak 101: Learning the Lingo of School: 25 February 293 registered and 149 attended; 26 February 276 registered and 85 attended
• Beyond Careers Dream Big Education Webinar for Primary Parents: 480 registered and 129 attended
• eSafety Commissioner Webinar Algorithms and adolescents: The rewards and risks of recommender systems for young people: 531 registrations and 116 attended

CCSP and Dr Justin Coulson Rural and Remote Road Trip

It’s our 30th Anniversary this year, and we have been busily organising a number of events to celebrate. Much planning has gone into our Dr Justin Coulson and CCSP 30^th Anniversary Rural and Remote Road Trip, which is from 5–9 May. CCSP is taking Dr Justin's show on the road to present to parents at three schools in our regional dioceses, and we’ll be stopping off on the way to drop in to a few primary schools and chat with parents and carers. Here’s the itinerary:

Term 2 Events

We have a jampacked schedule of free events and webinars for you in Term 2 with some wonderful presenters to enhance your parenting – see the articles and flyers below in this edition to register:

• Bishop Brian Mascord Book Reading: The Parable of the Lost Sheep
• Beyond Careers: Pathway Options and Subject Selection (parents of students years 7-10)
• Beyond Careers: Supporting Your Child’s Academic Journey (parents of students years 11-12)
• eSafety Commissioner: Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online (parents of primary students)
• Michelle Mitchell: Parenting Tweens 
• Michelle Mitchell: Parenting Teens

Term 1 Parent and Carer Survey

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey. We really appreciate it, as this data informs our professional learning program for parents and carers. We received 296 responses, which we were pleased with. 

Following are the topics parents and carers indicated they most wanted to learn more about:

In Term 2 there will also be NAIDOC Week (27 May – 3 June), Jubilee of People with Disability and National Volunteer Week (19-25 May). So Term 2 in schools is going to be busy!

And lastly, some huge news. We have a new website! We have been working with the Schoolzine team behind the scenes for many months, and now we’re thrilled to present this to you. It’s in its infancy, but looks great and is easy to use and will be our most valuable tool for keeping in touch with you all for you to easily contact us. It introduces you to our parent volunteers and offers a range of resources for schools and families which we’ll keep adding to. See the article below to find the link and have a look around!

You can register your interest in our 30th Anniversary conference for parents and carers on 25 October in Sydney too! Don’t forget to save this date.

Take care and have a wonderful term.

Cath

Cath Garrett-Jones
Executive Director

Introducing the New CCSP Website

We are proud and delighted to launch our new website this term. In our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, one of our strategies to support our goal for CCSP to be recognised as a Catholic voice that advocates for families was: 'Create a new multilingual and easily accessible website so all parents and carers are aware of the work of CCSP and are able to contact us through the website'. 

With the help of the Schoolzine team, our website is able to be translated into over 140 languages, and has easily accessible ways parents and carers can keep in touch with us. We've included interactive maps that link to information about our members, and lots of resources and links for families and schools. 

Please click here and have a look around. We hope you love it as much as we do!

Bishop Brian Mascord Reads The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Online Family Literacy Event

Beyond Careers Free Webinars for Parents

eSafety Commissioner Free Webinar

Michelle Mitchell Free Parenting Tweens and Teens Webinars

This term CCSP presents Michelle Mitchell in two free evening webinars for our Catholic school parents and carers:

Parenting Tweens: What Kids Need Now, Before the Teenage Years

24 June, 7pm - 8pm

Recommended audience: Parents of primary school kids 8+

At this parent event, Michelle Mitchell uses the results from her recent survey of more than 2000 parents and tweens, as well as 20 years’ experience working with families, to help trusted adults capitalise on the years between 9 and 12. Using insight and messages from tweens themselves, this presentation will motivate parents to invest today, knowing it can change the trajectory of adolescence and beyond. Together we will explore:

• New, groundbreaking research about tweens' development
• Proven, research based ways to ensure your communication is effective
• Ways you can forge an unbreakable connection during the tween years
• Insights into the development of self-esteem and body confidence
• A non-judgemental, up-front discussion about technology

Parenting Teens: Staying Connected Through the Teen Years

25 June, 7pm - 8pm

Recommended audience: Parents of high school kids 12+

As a parent, navigating a healthy relationship with your teenager can be challenging if you don’t have the proper tools to communicate.  This presentation will offer parenting insights into the developing brain which will guide a discussion about effective communication, setting healthy boundaries, managing emotionally charged moments and championing strengths. Together we will explore:

• The stages of development that all teenagers experience
• The role of the peer group and how to set realistic expectations
• Ways to maintain connection with teen who isn’t communicating
• Establishing fair, healthy boundaries and tips for saying no
• Managing mood swings and overwhelming emotions
• The role of purpose, passions, and opportunity
• What to do when they mess up
• Mental health, and when to access support

About Michelle

Michelle Mitchell is an author and speaker, sought after for her compassionate and grounded advice for parenting tweens and teens. She began as a classroom teacher but soon found a special interest in wellbeing. In 2000 she left teaching to establish a health promotion charity and psychology clinic which delivered life skills programs and
psychological services to thousands of young people and their families each year. Today she uses her experience to write and speak in schools, community events and through media. The core of her work is helping parents be the trusted, leadership presence that their growing kids need.

Play and Learn with Minecraft Education

In collaboration with The Vatican and Microsoft, Minecraft Education launched Peter Is Here, a new interactive learning experience within Minecraft Education, with the aim of supporting global understanding, promoting cross-cultural connections, and an appreciation of the richness of human diversity.

The Peter is Here learning experience includes instructional support materials: an educator guide, classroom PowerPoint, student workbook, family and community toolkit, family and Catholic community organisations guide and downloadable certificate of completion. Enjoy playing and learning with Minecraft!

Growing Crisis in Boys' Education

A recent CSNSW media release reported that new research by the Kathleen Burrow Research Institute at Catholic Schools NSW reveals a growing crisis in boys’ education in Australia

As many parents, teachers, and school communities know, Australia is facing a growing crisis in boys' education. This phenomenon is not new in NSW or Australia, and international research demonstrates similar disparities in other countries.

The report, Echoes of Disparity: Boys’ education in Australia reveals that boys are twice as likely to struggle academically in school and are over-represented amongst the most academically vulnerable in schools.

You can download the report here: 

Federal Election on 3 May

What you need to know to support your local Catholic school

The next Federal Election will be held on Saturday 3 May and it is important to consider how your vote will impact your child’s education.

The National Catholic Education Commission has issued an election briefing paper aimed at promoting how Catholic Education benefits all Australians. The NCEC calls on our political leaders to guarantee funding certainty with no adverse changes.

You can download the document here:

Catholic Education Election Scorecard

Catholic Education asked the Australian Labor Party, Liberal National Coalition, the Australian Greens and key Independent candidates to provide their response to our priorities for Catholic education. https://ncec.catholic.edu.au/2025-federal-election/federal-election-scorecard/

Here’s how they scored…

You can also check out the NCEC's 2025 Federal Election web pages: https://ncec.catholic.edu.au/2025-federal-election/ to find a School Funding Explainer, election updates and the facts about Catholic Education

Keep School Funding Fair 

Parents and the community are invited to support our means-tested school funding system so families can continue to choose the school which is best for their child.

Find out more at keepfundingfair.org.au

Around the Dioceses

Diocese of Lismore

Faith, Family and Fun Bring School Communities Together

Across the Diocese of Lismore, several Catholic schools have recently hosted vibrant Family Faith & Fun events — welcoming Kindergarten to Year 2 families into the life of the school through connection, storytelling, and play.

Each event invites families to celebrate three simple but powerful elements:
Family – through games and activities that help people connect and get to know one another.
Faith – through gentle, inclusive storytelling using the Godly Play method, often exploring parables like The Lost Sheep.
Fun – through shared games, laughter, and moments of joy between children and their grown-ups.

The evenings begin with a prayer and welcome before families rotate through three themed activity stations. Support from the Diocesan Parent Organisation, the Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly includes planning, resources and facilitation assistance.

'It is such a joy to just be present at these events and see families connect with one another, have fun and also be gently introduced to the Catholic identity of our schools,' Leanne Robbins, Parent Assembly Regional Coordinator reflected.

These simple gatherings are building stronger connections between families, staff, and students — showing that when we come together around faith and fun, school communities thrive.

Archdiocese of Sydney

Throughout the Lenten Season, several Sydney Catholic Schools Family Educator Networks organised Stations of the Cross. These gatherings invited parents and grandparents to meditate on the fourteen stations, reflecting on the pain and suffering of Jesus Christ.

The Lenten Family Educator Network Initiatives emphasised abstinence, prayer, and almsgiving, while also fostering a deep spiritual awakening.

The Southwest and Horsley Networks hosted the 'Way of the Cross' at the St Joseph’s Conference Centre, Bringelly. Meanwhile, the Sutherland Shire Family Educator Network held their Stations of the Cross at the Woronora Memorial Park.

The St George Network of Family Educators presented 'Stations by the Sea through Mary's Eyes,' focusing on the Blessed Virgin Mary's perspective and prayers as a mother.

All the Sydney Catholic Schools Stations of the Cross provided attendees with the opportunity to bring special prayer intentions for the Jubilee Year, ‘Pilgrims of Hope.’

Following the Stations of the Cross, attendees gathered for lunch, sharing stories about their Lenten and Easter experiences.

For some, it was their first time experiencing the Stations of the Cross, especially through the eyes of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

NESA News

NSW Curriculum Reform

NESA is continuing its curriculum reform programe and is at the midpoint of 111 NSW syllabuses. To date, NESA has released 54 syllabuses. Twelve 7–10 syllabuses are on track to be released by the end of 2025, which will complete the delivery of the 7–10 curriculum.

Throughout 2025 and 2026, schools are expected to plan and prepare for the new Primary syllabuses. The syllabuses included are Creative Arts K-6, HSIE K-6, PDHPE K-6 and Science and Technology K-6. Schools must implement these syllabuses from 2027.   

NESA released eight 7–10 elective syllabuses in Term 1, 2025, for public consultation: Geography Elective, History Elective, Physical Activity and Sports Science, Photographic and Digital Media, Visual and Motion Design, Digital Graphics Technology 7–10, Food Technology, and Textiles Technology.

Sector Representative Groups (SeRGs) related to the eight syllabuses were involved in the consultation and have provided feedback to NESA. 

The NSW Curriculum Reform timeline for syllabus consultation, release, planning and preparation, and implementation is available here. 

NESA support for curriculum implementation

As part of the Curriculum Reform Program, NESA has continued to expand the support materials in the NESA Learning Hub. Recently added resources include a series of learning modules for the K-12 Mathematics syllabus and a new video that explains how to find and use resources on the NSW Curriculum website. 

New online HSC courses 2025

In 2025, NESA will examine two HSC courses online for the first time, Enterprise Computing and Software Engineering. 

Parent Line NSW: Free Telephone Counselling for Parents and Carers of Children

Parent Line NSW is a free telephone counselling, support and referral service for parents and carers with children aged 0 to 18 who live in New South Wales. Parent Line also an information service for professionals working with children and families. 

Whether you need some help or just want someone to talk to, the qualified and experienced counsellors are available seven days a week to support you.

What Can I Talk to Parent Line NSW About?

The service receives calls from parents, carers and professionals who have questions or concerns about babies, children, or teenagers. Parent Line counsellors can help to support you, offering advice and guidance on concerns such as…

• Child and adolescent mental health
• Friendship issues and bullying
• Social media and increased screentime
• Anxiety in children
• Child and behaviour development
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Support during family separation
• School transitions
• Family violence 

Call Parent Line NSW on 1300 1300 52 to access free and confidential counselling. Open Monday to Friday (9am to 9pm) and Saturday & Sunday (4pm to 9pm).

You can also visit parentline.org.au to find parenting resources and tips.