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| Can't get an after school care place?
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| Here are the alternatives
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It was recently reported that thousands of New South Wales families have not managed to secure a spot in an out of school hours care service for their children.
The figures from the Network of Community Activities revealed that as many as 2,000 students a week (in NSW) are missing out on after-school care.
It's not just urban and suburban Sydney suburbs either; there is also a shortage of after school care (aka out of school hours care or "OOSH") in regional areas.
We can assume that while the problem is particularly acute in NSW, due to higher population, there will be many areas of urban and regional Victoria and Queensland that are also experiencing shortages.
As parents we tend to assume that working life will become easier once the children are at school, but actually it can be even harder, because while child care centres and family day care facilities are open until around 6pm (which is just about manageable for working parents), schools close at 3pm. So what do you do with your children between 3pm and 6pm?
Lack of sufficient OOSH care has been an issue for many years, as it becomes more common for both parents to be working. The problem does not look like it is going be be alleviated either. Ideally the best OOSH facilities are run on school premises, but many new schools are expected to be built without taking this need into consideration, due to budgets and also due to disputes over who should ultimately run and be responsible for OOSH facilities on school grounds.
Most parents would agree that new schools should factor in after school hours facilities, but Network of Community Activities chief executive Robyn Monro Miller said that in most cases this is not happening.
Leichhardt Council, in Sydney's inner west, is (so far) the only council to act to try to alleviate the problem by using under-used community centres and town halls to house after school care. We can only hope that other forward-thinking councils follow suit.
If you haven't managed to secure out of school hours care for your children yet, then you may find some of the following alternatives useful…
- Family Day Care – Some family day care facilities do offer school pickups and after school care so it's worth calling some of your local services to see if they do.
- Nanny share – Spread the cost of a nanny share one between two or three families. You don't want to overload them because they won't stay long but they should be happy to look after a few children. Agree on an hourly rate for that number of kids, agree on the location of care (you can split this between each family over the week so you all have the same "wear and tear".
- Au Pair Share – One family will be giving pocket money and paying for bed and board, so you need to reimburse the host family and give the au pair something extra for the number of children. You must also agree the new responsibilities/increased number of children with the au pair first.
- Parent sharing – Particularly good for after school/child care pick-ups. If you only work part time or can be more flexible on some days than others, it's worth investigating with other parents in your child care centre, pre-school or school, who either work part time themselves or also have flexibility. If you can work out your days across the week, so that all kids are covered for early pickups between you, it can be a very sociable, cheap and rewarding way to make sure you never get put in the naughty corner again!
- After school care co-op – This option is FREE, and may require some networking to get up and running. Care Co-ops work really well in families with a parent working part time or in a flexible job and involve sharing with participating families on a set day each week. You split the week according to work commitments and availability share the days between you. TIP: Use your school's social media or notice board to find other parents who might be interested.
- Grandparents, relative or older neighbours – This can be very rewarding for all involved. Older relatives and neighbours love the company, but make sure they are really up to the job and don't take advantage of their goodwill. Make sure all hours and payment is agreed up front, that rules are set (in terms of behavior, food etc.) and that you regularly check in to see how they're getting on. They may find it a bit too much, but won't often say, so it's your job to make sure they're OK.
- Babysitter – Hiring a babysitter is often more cost effective than using a nanny and if they are local then there is good chance they can be flexible if you are running late or need an extra day here or there. They can also help with the odd domestic chore as well.
- Reliable teenager – If you have friends with teenage kids or know some teenagers in your neighbourhood this can be an excellent option. Teenagers are keen to earn a few dollars and they can prepare snacks and help with homework.
For more information on after school hours alternatives, read our article
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