Vision

To promote and pursue excellence in the provision of pastoral and spiritual care for the benefit of older people living in Australia.

Mission Statement

To raise community awareness and promote education, training and support for practitioners of pastoral and spiritual care with older people.

Objectives

Pastoral and Spiritual Care of Older People seeks to address the following objectives for the benefit of older people living in Australia, their carers and families:

Objectives:
The organisation will:

1. Establish a network of communication and resources for aged-care organisations and their carers.
2. Develop and/or promote guidelines best practice of pastoral and spiritual care for older people as part of their holistic care and support (a) in the context of a diversity of faith and cultures.(b)
3. Seek provision for a range of contemporary pastoral and spiritual care programs which support the training and development of all staff. (c)(d)
4. Advocate for appropriate funding for research and training.
5. Advocate for access to sustainable funding for pastoral and spiritual care services.
6. Increase social and professional recognition of the value of pastoral and spiritual care.

NOTES indicating strategies:
(a) PASCOP will develop an integral relationship with CAPS (Centre for Ageing and Pastoral Studies) in the provision of research and education.

(b) PASCOP acknowledges the expanding field of interfaith spiritual care and a diversity of faith-groups in the Australian context.
PASCOP aims to serve those faith groups that provide pastoral and spiritual care to older people.

(c) PASCOP aims to be the body that determines the educational standards for pastoral and spiritual care of older people.
PASCOP will identify the needs for training across the nation, and draw together resources for the provision of training.
PASCOP recognises CAPS as the lead organisation in research and in the provisioning of education and training.

(d) PASCOP will support SCA (Spiritual Care Australia) in the development of a national register of competent and suitably qualified pastoral and spiritual care practitioners.