It’s Time to Rethink Schooling for a Changing Generation
You don’t have to look far to find families grappling with autism, ADHD, severe bullying, or school refusal, complex challenges all linked to the school system. The statistics are startling:…
In the early hours of Wednesday 3 September 2025, the Morley Market in Perth’s north-east was engulfed by fire. Around 70 firefighters battled the blaze for seven hours before bringing it under control, but every business in the market was impacted. Many were long-standing, family-run businesses. While a recovery hub was set up at Morley Library to connect owners with services, business operators and their families faced sudden financial distress and uncertainty about their future.
One business owner had recently relocated his operations from another part of Morley to the Morley Market. All of his stock and recent renovations were destroyed in the fire. With no insurance cover, he lost everything overnight. The client lives with his wife and three children, and at the time of the fire, was waiting for Centrelink payments to commence.
When he first sought help, the client was told: “There is nothing we can do as you had no insurance.” While this information was technically correct, it left him feeling unsupported and overwhelmed in a crisis. The family’s immediate concern was how to manage basic needs such as food and rent while waiting for longer-term support to come through.
With the help of Communicare’s emergency relief support, the financial counsellor reframed the conversation to focus on what could be done right away. A referral letter for Foodbank was issued, providing immediate access to food relief, and contact details for other emergency relief services were shared. The option of applying for rent relief was discussed if housing stress arose in the weeks ahead, and the client was given direct contact details with encouragement to reach out as their situation developed.
This practical, strengths-based approach gave the client and his family tangible support on the day of their visit. By focusing on next steps rather than on what wasn’t possible, the counsellor reduced distress, built trust, and created a pathway forward during a traumatic and destabilising time.
The experience highlights how, even in disaster contexts where resources are limited, offering something concrete immediately, such as food access or emergency relief referrals, can make a measurable difference. Reframing the message from “nothing can be done” to “here’s what we can do” is central to effective crisis financial counselling and ensures that clients feel supported during their recovery.
