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Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students across Greater Sydney return to the classroom today, with more than 148,000 students leading the first stage of the 800,000 public school students returning over the next week.
To help students catch up on any learning loss experienced due to COVID-19 lockdowns and learning from home, the NSW Government has announced the extension of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program into next year.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said following the positive reception and uptake of the 2021 program, the NSW Government was committing an additional $383 million to continue to support students next year.
“We know our students are resilient but there’s no doubt that 2021 has been a tough year, with many students learning from home for twice as long as last year,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Early insights from the ongoing evaluation of the program show that students are bouncing back thanks to the intensive tutoring delivered through the program, and we are committed to helping them do so again next year.”
Treasurer Matt Kean said the tutoring program, which has been delivered by educators in partnership with classroom teachers, had exceeded its employment goal.
“This program has employed more than 7,500 educators to date in government schools alone, providing employment opportunities right across the State,” Mr Kean said.
“Building on this success, the extension of the program will not only provide extra support for students to ensure their learning remains on track but also additional employment opportunities for our fantastic teachers and educators.”
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program was first introduced in Term 1 this year to help students, who had fallen behind after last year’s disruptions, improve their core knowledge and skills.
“This program is based on research which demonstrates that small-group tuition is highly effective at getting students back on track,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Principals and teachers I have spoken with over the last few months have been unanimous in their support for the program in meeting their individual school and student needs.”
“Our additional investment for 2022 will continue the focus on literacy and numeracy and enable us to strengthen the provision of online tuition, ensuring greater accessibility to meet student need.”
The Department of Education will work with schools and key stakeholder groups during Term 4 to refine the program to ensure the greatest benefit is delivered for students who need it most.
More information will be provided by the Department to schools during Term 4.

The NSW Government is investing $21 million to expand the Aboriginal mental health and suicide prevention workforce as part of $131 million mental health recovery package.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the lockdown has exacerbated underlying mental health conditions and added to people’s distress levels, especially among groups known to be at greater risk of suicide.
“As we return to doing the things we love with the people we love, we want to make sure that no-one is left behind,” Mrs Taylor said.
“We know that mental health issues and thoughts of suicide can emerge in the weeks, months and years after a trauma, so our focus over the next two years is connecting people with the most appropriate services and support as early as possible.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin said the four-year investment will allow for the recruitment of 18 FTE Aboriginal Care Navigators and 18 FTE Aboriginal Peer Workers across NSW.
“Culture plays a crucial role in our resilience and mental wellbeing, especially for First Australians who have a powerful connection to our beautiful land and their ancestors,” Mr Harwin said.
“If culture is understood, respected and valued throughout the mental health journey, it can speed up the recovery and keep people safe from acting on thoughts of suicide.”
The funding will allow every Local Health District and Specialty Network to employ Aboriginal Care Navigators and Aboriginal Peer Workers.
Aboriginal Mental Health Care Navigators will be responsible for supporting Aboriginal people and their families to connect with the most appropriate service within and outside the local health district. They would also provide ongoing support and contact with these individuals and families.
Aboriginal Mental Health Peer Workers will be embedded within public mental health services and responsible for providing culturally sensitive support, particularly in emergency settings. They would also link them to other supports, such as suicide prevention services, drug and alcohol services, and Aboriginal community services.
The $131 million package builds on the $2.6 billion 2021-2022 NSW mental health budget – the largest mental health investment in the state’s history

The NSW Government is investing in sporting clubs and multicultural communities to provide support for people whose mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $130 million investment over four years will fund initiatives to offer mental health resources to local sporting groups, training opportunities for community members and a multilingual mental health line.
“The pandemic’s impact on people’s mental health throughout our state has been significant,” Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said.
“It’s important we establish valuable touchpoints for mental health support out in the community.”
Mrs Taylor joined with Minister for Sport and Multiculturalism Natalie Ward to announce a $3 million commitment over one year to the Mental Health Sporting Fund, providing tailored mental health programs to local sporting groups.
The first funding round of this type was announced in early 2020, with 24 local sporting bodies receiving grants.
“We have now more than doubled the contribution from the last funding round, so many more sporting groups can take part in this important initiative,” Mrs Taylor said.
Mrs Ward said sporting clubs are vital to our community and a great way to deliver critical mental health resources.
“Like nothing else, sport brings local communities together,” Mrs Ward said.
“Our local sporting groups give us a unique opportunity to have important mental health messages delivered directly to the community in a way that is informal and accessible.”
The Mental Health Recovery Package also includes an investment of $3.2 million over four years to establish a multilingual Mental Health Line, the first of its kind in NSW.
The line will open in November and will be available in more than 30 languages, staffed by senior clinicians.
“When it comes to mental health, accessibility is a key issue associated with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds attempting to access support,” Mrs Taylor said.
“This brand new line, a first in NSW, will remove those cultural and linguistic barriers.”
These initiatives form part of the record $130 million investment over four years for COVID-19 mental health support, building on the $2.6 billion announced for mental health in the 2021-2022 Budget – the largest mental health investment in the State’s history.

Child protection caseworkers will receive more frequent and easily accessible mental health services as part of the NSW Government’s $130 million mental health recovery package.
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor said child protection caseworkers have been working around the clock to keep kids safe during the pandemic, often under challenging circumstances.
“Child protection caseworkers are exposed to some of the most difficult and tragic situations imaginable and this funding will enable them to access specialist support when they need it,” Mrs Taylor said.
“We recognise that as we navigate the State’s economic recovery from the pandemic, we must also prioritise mental wellbeing, and child protection caseworkers are a cohort that our Government is committed to supporting.”
The NSW Government expanded its Employee Assistance Program to all funded NGOs working in the social services sector throughout the recent lockdown.
The $3 million expansion of caseworker wellbeing checks will build on that support, providing thousands of child protection staff across the State with more frequent and easily accessible services.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Alister Henskens said the expansion of caseworker wellbeing checks is in line with objectives of the recently established Child Wellbeing Taskforce.
“We’re working hard to prevent vulnerable children slipping through the cracks, and our frontline child protection caseworkers are critical to that,” Mr Henskens said.
“Our Child Wellbeing Taskforce is looking at ways we can improve services and support for vulnerable kids, but also exploring ways to better equip the frontline with the support they need to deliver quality and important services.”
Work is underway to roll out the expanded services by next month.

Thousands more women and children escaping domestic abuse will be supported with housing and specialist services following a landmark investment by the NSW Government.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Government would invest an additional $484.3 million – the single biggest investment in tackling domestic and family violence (DFV) in the State’s history.
“Everyone has the right to live a life free from violence and abuse, a right that is far too often callously eroded by those who perpetrate domestic violence,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Today’s commitment will help to reduce the often devastating impacts of domestic abuse by providing timely access to safe, affordable and appropriate supports and housing assistance so that women and children who bravely escape violence can begin to recover and thrive.”
The funding package includes:

• $426.6 million over four years to expand Core and Cluster to deliver and operate around 75 extra women’s refuges that support women and children escaping DFV. Under the Core and Cluster model, self-contained accommodation is located next to a ‘core’, which provides access to services including counselling, legal assistance, education, and employment support. The sites contain meeting rooms, audio-visual equipment for court appearances, communal kitchens, and playgrounds.
• $52.5 million over four years towards the Community Housing Innovation Fund (CHIF) partnership with the community housing sector, to provide approximately 200 sustainable, social and affordable housing dwellings for women experiencing DFV.
• $5.2 million over four years, for a trial in two districts to provide dedicated supports for accompanied children and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with a focus on children and young people impacted by DFV.

NSW Police respond to more than 140,000 DFV incidents annually and, tragically, on average, one woman is killed every nine days in Australia by a current or former partner.
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said DFV is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, illustrating the high demand for these critical services.
“In 2019-20, almost 40 per cent of the people who accessed specialist homelessness services in NSW, across our cities, regional and rural communities, had experienced domestic abuse,” Mrs Taylor said.
“One of the most important things we can do in government is to ensure that when a victim-survivor makes the courageous decision to leave a violent home – a time when she actually faces the greatest risk – that there’s a secure, supportive environment waiting to help her.”
Treasurer Matt Kean said today’s investment demonstrates the Government’s commitment to support everyone across our diverse communities, especially the most vulnerable.
“This historic investment will support women and children impacted by domestic violence for generations to come by almost doubling the number of women’s refuges across the state – it will not only change lives, it will save lives – and there’s no greater legacy than that,” Mr Kean said.
Attorney General and Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Mark Speakman said children are often referred to as the ‘silent victims’ of DFV, a term that in reality has acted as a loud, rallying call for the Government’s investment in more housing and more specialist supports for young people.
“In 2019-20, specialist homelessness services supported more than 8,200 children in families experiencing domestic violence. Our trial will help us support 3,200 additional children and young people with trauma informed care and educational supports,” Mr Speakman said.
Chair of Domestic Violence NSW Annabelle Daniel welcomed the Government’s major investment, and acknowledged all the frontline workers and victim-survivors who have been advocating for greater availability of these crucial services.
“We are pleased to see this new funding announcement recognising the urgent need for refuge supports in rural, regional and remote areas and across NSW. Specialist domestic and family violence services are a lifeline for women and children fleeing abuse, and do the work of many agencies combined. We know the numbers of people in need being turned away are continuously increasing due to lack of space. When we raise awareness about domestic and family violence, women raise their hands for help,” Ms Daniel said.
A mother of two young children, Theresa*, was supported by ‘The Orchard’ Core and Cluster accommodation in Orange after she was subjected to severe physical abuse, including strangulation, perpetrated by her partner that forced them to flee the family home.
Theresa* said she was able to stay close to her support network while continuing her children’s schooling and her employment, and was later able to obtain a private rental and help through Victims Services for furniture and appliances for her new home.
“This support gave me the courage and trust that there was a way out of my situation with a plan that would keep me and my children safe. I have officially escaped domestic violence for good, and can now see the warning signs to be able to stop it instead of putting up with it. I have achieved independence and I am now able to do things without being shut down with intimidation and abuse like I was before,” Theresa* said.
For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63), NSW Rape Crisis (1800 424 017) or Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491). In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
*Name changed to protect her identity.