Pastoral Care / Chaplaincy

What is Pastoral Care?

Baptcare’s Pastoral Care team give spiritual support and comfort by offering a compassionate presence and deep listening. They help people of all backgrounds to connect with spiritual resources, especially, though not only, at times of distress, loss and grief.

Pastoral care workers help people explore and express deep questions and concerns. They also help to address people’s faith needs by providing opportunities for prayer and worship.

The Pastoral Care team is made up of the Pastoral Care Coordinator and chaplains/pastoral care workers who support clients in each of our service areas.

Chaplains also offer Baptcare staff general, confidential pastoral support. All staff can also access a free and confidential counselling service.

Our beliefs

The Christian ministry of pastoral care is a vital part of Baptcare’s commitment to caring for the whole person. We are convinced that without attention to a person’s spiritual needs as well as their physical, social and emotional needs, our care would not be complete, or ‘holistic’.

We provide the ministry of pastoral care with the intention, and hope, that it reminds us of God’s love and grace, and that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ.

We are committed to the value and dignity of every person in the sight of God. Therefore, the chaplaincy team supports Baptcare clients and their families regardless of their religion.

Pastoral Volunteers

Clinical pastoral education (CPE) placements are available in our residential aged care communities (visit www.aspea.org.au for more information on CPE). If you are interested in a placement with us, send your expression of interest form to Pastoral Care Coordinator Ilsa Hampton ihampton@baptcare.org.au or call 03 9831 7238.

We are currently exploring a model for the training and support of pastoral care volunteers in community aged care, developed in consultation with the Healthcare Chaplaincy Council of Victoria. The results of this trial are due at the end of 2010.

Want to join the team?

If you are interested in joining our pastoral care team, keep an eye on our vacancies page for positions. Baptcare employs pastoral carers who can think and write at tertiary level, have a deep Christian faith that is able to openly engage with people from all walks of life, and who can critically reflect on their pastoral practice.

Some useful websites:

For more detail contact info@baptcare.org.au or Contact Us.

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