"We're struggling to keep up": Brisbane parents voice concerns over funding cuts to state school support programs

Parents and carers across Brisbane are raising alarm bells about the impact of reduced funding for student support services in state schools, with families in suburbs from Fortitude Valley to Indooroopilly describing stretched resources and longer wait times for essential help.

The concerns emerge as Queensland schools prepare for the second half of the academic year, with many families reporting delays in accessing counselling, speech pathology, and learning support programs that were previously more readily available.

"My son has been waiting four months for a speech assessment through the school system," says a Paddington parent who requested anonymity. "We've had to go private, which costs $200 a session. Not everyone can afford that."

The frustrations reflect broader challenges facing Brisbane's education sector. Queensland allocates approximately $17.2 billion annually to schools, yet support staff shortages have become increasingly visible in metropolitan areas, where student populations remain high and demand for specialist services continues to grow.

Parent advocacy groups meeting regularly at venues like the Brisbane City Library in the CBD report similar themes. Learning support coordinators at many inner-city schools are managing caseloads of 40-plus students, compared to recommended ratios of closer to 25, according to educators interviewed for this story.

"Teachers are doing their best, but they're not trained counsellors or therapists," explains a Kangaroo Point educator with 15 years' experience. "When support staff are reduced, everyone suffers—the students most in need, the teachers trying to manage complex needs, and families desperate for help."

The impact extends beyond psychological support. Families with children requiring English as an additional language (EAL) assistance report extended waits, particularly at schools in multicultural areas like Fortitude Valley and South Brisbane, where student populations are increasingly diverse.

"My daughter arrived from overseas last year, and we waited eight weeks just to get assessed for ESL support," says a parent from West End. "During that time, she was falling behind."

University students are also navigating pressures. At the University of Queensland's St Lucia campus, campus mental health services report increased demand for counselling amid rising course costs and employment uncertainty, with some students reporting wait times of two to three weeks for initial appointments.

Education advocates are calling on state and federal governments to invest more substantially in support infrastructure. "These aren't nice-to-haves," one Southbank-based education policy officer stresses. "They're fundamental to ensuring every child gets a fair go."

The Queensland Department of Education has been contacted for comment.

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