Eastern Melbourne councils fight to save 27-year-old youth support program facing the axe

The State Government allocated less than $3.9 million towards the program for the 2024-26 period.

Matthew Sims
October 13, 2025

Two more eastern Melbourne councils have hit out at a recent decision from the Victorian Government that will kill a program which has supported vulnerable students for 27 years.

✂️What happened: The Department of Education recently told councils it would not renew funding contracts for the School Focused Youth Service (SFYS) at the end of January.

⁉️What’s that? First introduced in 1998, the SFYS is a State Government-funded and council-run program, which provides targeted interventions for year 5 to year 12 students who are missing out on too many days due to a range of factors, including mental health, poverty and family violence.

The program also aims to support the school community, i.e. teachers, parents and peers, to encourage vulnerable students.

📫How we got here: Last week, Knox councillors passed a motion to send letters to Education Minister Ben Carroll, Premier Jacinta Allan and local MPs, requesting a review and reversal of the decision.

“Very disappointing”: Knox Council furious after more than $400K of student support withdrawn

The program has supported 418 local students in 16 Knox schools over the past two years.

🗣️What they’re saying: A Department spokesperson said the decision to cease funding was “made to minimise duplication and preference evidence-based programs”.

The Eastern Melburnian understands government schools have access to an ongoing $86 million Schools Mental Health Fund, contributing $25,000 per school to pay towards schools programs listed on the “Menu” — a list of “evidence-based programs” including animal-assisted, art and music therapy.

😡Other councils left in the lurch: A Whitehorse Council spokesperson said the council was “disappointed” with the decision and would be writing a letter to the Education Minister requesting the funding be reinstated.

🗣️Maroondah Mayor Kylie Spears said the council was “concerned” about the impact the funding cut would have on students struggling to remain engaged with their education.

“While the School Mental Health Fund Menu has a suite of programs schools can select from, they are prescribed and not bespoke to meet local needs,” Spears told the Eastern Melburnian.

Spears said the council has supported a motion to reinstate SFYS funding, as it has “no resources to fill the gap for students in 2026.”

Young mental health issues continue to be “complex” as Headspace helps 1,000 young people across Melbourne's eastern suburbs in the past year

Headspace Knox is open on weekdays at 2 Capital City Boulevard at Westfield Knox in Wantirna South, while Headspace Lilydale’s doors are open from Monday to Thursday at 216 Main Street.

Missing out: 🗣️Professor Lucas Walsh, from Monash University’s Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice, said 2024 attendance rates continued to worsen, with an 88.6 percent overall rate and 40 percent of students “chronically absent”.

“Dedicated, targeted resources need to be ramped up by governments, rather than phased out,” said Professor Walsh. “Schools in disadvantaged areas often need extra support for students struggling at school and/or at home.”

Monash Council would not comment on the funding cut and what it means for the future.