44 new out of school hours care locations to be rolled out in NSW

Thousands of families are set to benefit from a before and after school care roll out the NSW Government promises will help keep parents in the workforce.

Thousands more families will have access to out of school hours care with 44 new locations to be opened this year.

The new OOSH hubs will join 47 locations set up since December 2020 under a $40 million program from the state government.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said this will help keep more parents in the workforce.

“The 91 hubs in this program will provide new facilities for up to 4800 students across the state,” Ms Mitchell said.

“More families will have access to out of school hour care services, while also helping to cut waiting times in areas of high demand.

Audrey Rhyu, with husband Jay Yeon and kids Michael and Sean, said her family has been making the most of the out of school hours care hub at their school. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“The Government is foc­used on supporting working families. More students can have safe, fun, before and after school and holiday care, supporting parents to have the flexibility to participate in the workforce.”

The hubs are custom-­designed buildings with spaces for play, administration, kitchens and toilets.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the program would allow more parents to stay in the workforce. Picture: Monique Harmer

The exact locations of the 44 new services are still to be determined.

By having an OOSH hub on the school grounds, parents can drop off their children before they go to work and pick them up afterwards, knowing they have been fed, cared for and been able to play with their friends – all in the one safe location. It allows them to go from part-time to full-time work.

Western Sydney mother Audrey Rhyu said her family had benefited from a before and after school care hub at Baulkham Hills.

Before and after school care places across the state have increased by 19,420 since 2019.

Among the hubs already completed are Burwood, Bathurst, Ettalong, Anna Bay and Tamworth.

Ten of the latest hubs have been temporarily redistributed to the North Coast to host out of school hours and preschool services ­dislocated by the floods.

The program falls under the state government’s four-year, $8.6 billion school infrastructure investment for 160 new and up­graded schools across the state.

The Perrottet government pledged $16.2 million in the state budget for transport to connect students to before and after school care services, as well as $20.2 ­million for regional and remote areas where they are no services.

“We know that working families are impacted by a lack of before and after school care services, and that this often has a flow-on impact to parents participating in the workplace,” Treasurer Matt Kean said at the time.

“That’s why investments like these are so important to give parents more flexibility in their day.”

About 200,000 before and after school care vouchers worth $500 each have so far been claimed, under another of the scheme’s initiatives launched in February.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the government was committed to giving all NSW families access to before and after school care.

“Great before and after school care services deliver an essential service to communities and young children, providing a safe place to play and socialise,” Ms Mitchell said.