VMHPAA Welcomes Queensland Education Minister’s Acknowledgement of Counsellors’ Role in Student Wellbeing
- Shane Warren
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 August 2025
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed correspondence from the Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts, the Hon. John-Paul Langbroek MP, in response to concerns raised about the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
In his letter, Minister Langbroek:
Acknowledged the advocacy of VMHPAA and the important role counsellors play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders;
Confirmed that student wellbeing remains a key priority for the Queensland Government, with significant investment in guidance officers, psychologists, social workers, youth workers, and chaplaincy programs across schools;
Recognised the potential broader impacts of the Draft Standards on counsellors across the education sector, even though counsellors are not currently a core component of Queensland’s school-based wellbeing workforce.
“We appreciate Minister Langbroek’s acknowledgement of the critical role counsellors play in supporting community wellbeing and the challenges posed by the Draft Standards,” said Shane Warren, Chair of VMHPAA. “Across Queensland, counsellors are working in schools, community services, and private practice, often filling gaps in access to mental health support. Any national framework must protect, not diminish, their ability to contribute.”
Philip Armstrong, CEO of VMHPAA, added: “While Queensland has focused school-based resourcing on psychologists and guidance officers, counsellors remain an under-utilised workforce that could be better leveraged to respond to growing student needs. Excluding vocationally trained practitioners from the Draft Standards risks leaving students, families, and communities with fewer affordable and timely options for support.”
VMHPAA will continue to advocate for inclusive national standards that reflect the full breadth of Australia’s counselling workforce, ensuring schools and communities have access to the diverse professionals they need to support student mental health and wellbeing.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
VMHPAA
Comments