When you are choosing OOSH (out of school hours) care services, think about:
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Location. How will my child travel to and from school to the OOSH service?
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Quality. Do their outside school hours care program meets the national quality framework?
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Cost. What is the cost of the provider's out-of-school care? What are the fees charged, and what do they include?
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Availability. How far ahead do I need to book? What are the outside school hours schedules? Are places available when I need them? Do they operate on school holidays or pupil free days?
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Staff. What qualifications and/or experience do the staff have?
You should also consider your child's needs and interests:
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Are the children made to feel welcome by the staff and other children?
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Can I talk to staff about my child's needs and the activities offered?
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Do the activities suit my child's interests? If my child doesn't want to join in organised activities, is there supervised free play? Do they offer school holiday programs and activities?
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Is the environment suitable and interesting for primary school age children?
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Is homework supervised?
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Are any meals provided? Do they cater to special dietary needs (eg allergies)?
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Other considerations. Do they administer medication? Do they have a television and is it supervised?
OOSH services are for primary school aged children and are associated with community and private organizations while the government's programme is known as Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services or Vacation Care.
Just like OOSH, OSHC service plays a vital role in the school community and is widely recognised for the valuable assistance they provide to early childhood education services.
Use our before and after school care search to find OOSH services in your local area and click here for Vacation Care.
Using our child care compass can also help you choose the right OOSH
Start the Child Care Compass
