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Out of school hours care (OSHC) provides quality care and recreational experiences:
- before school
- after school
- on pupil free days
- in vacation care periods.
OSHC services:
- contribute to a healthy and successful life for school aged children
- contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of families, children and communities by assisting families to manage the competing demands of work, study and family.
- promote supportive social environments where children build independence and apply learning in social contexts
- complement children's learning at home and at school.
- encourage children to interact with friends, learn life skills, solve problems, practice social skills, try new experiences and feel happy, safe and relaxed.
Most services are located in schools but some are located in community centres, recreation centres or child care centres.
Age eligibility
OSHC services provide childcare mostly for children attending school, but can care for children who have not yet started school.
When an OSHC service fills vacant places it must give school children priority over children who have not yet started school.
Fees and financial assistance
Fees are determined by each service and vary, according to which component a child attends. Parents of children attending an approved OSHC service may be eligible for financial assistance toward the part payment of child care fees through the Australian Government’s child care benefit scheme (CCB).
See assistance with child care fees or can call 13 61 50 for more information.
Quality assurance
National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care
All OSHC services must be approved to operate under the requirements of the Australian Government’s National Quality Framework (NQF) for Early Childhood Education and Care.
An approved OSHC service is regularly assessed against the National Quality Standard. The Standard sets a national benchmark for the quality of education and care services and provides educators and families with a better understanding of what a quality service is. The National Quality Standard has 7 quality areas.
OSHC services use the My Time, Our Place Framework for School Age Care, to guide the development of a program and environment that is responsive to each child’s needs, interests, and choices and contributes fully to their ongoing development.
Assistance for children with additional needs
Children with a range of additional needs and disabilities participate successfully in OSHC and vacation care programs. In some cases the child’s needs cannot be met with the standard educator:child ratio and an additional educator is required.
Children with additional needs may be eligible for Australian Government Inclusion Support Programme (ISP). To find out more about ISP visit the Inclusion Support Portal or contact the Australian Government Inclusion Support agency:
- Gowrie SA: 1800 129 606 or saisp [at] gowriesa.org.au
Find a service
You can find a service either through the MyChild website or the location search.
