REVIEWS

TIME FOR REFLECTION

A Guide to School Chaplaincy and Spiritual Development

Written by: Steve Younger

Published by: Saint Andrew Press

Price: £14.99 (also available as an e-book)

This volume would be a valuable addition to the shelves of anyone acting as a chaplain to a local school.

Written by Younger, a Baptist minister, but a co-opted member of the Church of Scotland’s Education Committee, the book is a valuable tool for anyone involved in chaplaincy within the education framework of Scotland today.

Drawing on his 30 plus years of experience of chaplaincy – and his work as a trainer on religious observance to a number of education authorities – Younger has developed a contemporary guide that will not only help chaplains to understand the framework in which they work but will also help those involved in the appointment of chaplains – whether parent, headteacher or education official.

Drawing on his own personal experience, he off ers a modern definition of the school chaplaincy role, not just for pupils, but also for parents, staff and the wider school community along with draft codes of conduct, whilst highlighting the value of chaplaincy within the curriculum and how it can off er crisis support and pastoral care.

In an introduction, however, he is emphatic that it is not a source of ideas for someone about to take a school assembly (although there are some helpful ‘time for reflection’ ideas towards the back of the volume), but rather off ers greater insights and understanding into the role of the school chaplain – a job he clearly relishes and loves.

He adds: ‘The book is a mixture of academic research on chaplaincy and spiritual development; of reflections on chaplaincy; and of practical suggestions for a greater vision of chaplaincy.’

He does not, however, believe it is the wholly definitive work on chaplaincy and is open to feedback from readers about their own experience of school chaplaincy and their own thoughts on ‘best practice’.

Whilst he concedes there is no standard ‘job description’ for a school chaplain, this work surely goes some way towards addressing this deficit and off ers a handy list of expectations (and guidelines) for anyone undertaking duties within a school for the first time and unsure of the boundaries of expectation.

He draws on his many years of experience to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about school chaplaincy (‘How do I get into my local school?’ ‘Is it okay to pray and sing hymns in a non-denominational school?’ ‘What should a chaplain do if their school is failing to meet the statutory TfR (Time for Reflection) requirements?’).

His advice and responses are also built around the most recent guidance, meaning the book is a helpful resource for anyone working with or in a chaplaincy capacity in schools today.

This article appears in the December 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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