“Very disappointing”: Knox Council furious after more than $400K of student support withdrawn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

Matthew Sims
October 06, 2025

After 27 years of helping vulnerable local students, the State Government has shocked school communities and councils by axing the School Focused Youth Service (SFYS) from next year.

Knox is among more than 70 councils across the state affected by the decision, and now councillors are demanding the State Government reinstate support.

📚 The history: The program was introduced in 1998 to help year 5 to year 12 students at risk of disengaging with education due to factors such as mental health, poverty and family violence.

The State Government allocated about $12 million towards the program in 2024-25, with Knox receiving $413,848.

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❌ Not present: Department figures show absenteeism is on the rise: year 7 to 10 students were absent an average of 29.2 days across 2022-23, up nearly 30 percent compared to 2021-22.

On average, year 11 and 12 missed 23.4 days over 2022-23, a nearly 40 percent jump from 2021-22.

The Department did not release absenteeism figures in its 2023-24 Annual Report.

😲 Sudden shock: In September, the Department told Knox Council it would not renew its current SFYS contract at the end of January.

A Department spokesperson said the decision to cease funding was “made to minimise duplication and preference evidence-based programs”.

Other councils helping deliver the service in Eastern Melbourne include Monash, Maroondah and Whitehorse.

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🫸 Pushing back: During last week’s council meeting, councillors passed a motion to send letters to Education Minister Ben Carroll, Premier Jacinta Allan and local MPs, requesting a review and reversal.

Knox councillor Meagan Baker said the closure of the service would have “direct and far-reaching impacts on students, both locally and across the state”.

“It threatens to leave a vulnerable cohort of students without support, disrupts established partnerships between schools and service providers and creates risk for educational and social outcomes,” she told the chamber.

Knox councillor and Youth Advisory Committee member Chris Duncan said the fact local schools had not yet received any communication from the Department was “a bit of a slap in the face”.

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