Out-of-hours school care: Unregulated operators cash in on parents

Unregulated businesses offering before and after school care for children are “preying on the desperation” of parents unable to find a place in approved and accredited facilities

Lucy Mannering (left) and her daughters Zoe and Sybilla (2nd from right) and Anastasia Bennett (right) and her daughter Penelope (centre) at Lucy's Leichhardt home. Lucy and Anastasia pulled their kids out of a facility when they discovered it was unregulated and unlicensed. Picture: Toby Zerna

UNREGULATED businesses offering before and after school care for children are putting kids at risk and “preying on the desperation” of parents unable to find a place in approved and ­accredited facilities.

Working families faced with a critical shortage of places for out of school hours care have since been warned that many cash-in-hand “backyard” operators are uninsured, staffed by people without a working with children check and may not provide proper supervision.

Out of School Hours care (Oosh) has become the new childcare crisis as waiting lists soar, leaving many parents with no option but to place their children with ­unaccredited services.

Lucy Mannering with Sybilla and Zoe: “I was horrified — the kids were not supervised properly and I asked for a refund.” Picture: Toby Zerna

The baby boom, the growth of high rise apartments and families building house extensions have all been blamed for the rising demand for places, particularly those on school premises.

Mums have told The Saturday Telegraph backyard operators are taking advantage of parents requiring care before and after school.

The operations are often disguised as providing art, drama or other activities when their central purpose is care.

The demand for care has become so acute that some children stranded with nowhere to go after school wait in public libraries to be collected while others are left home alone or are dropped off at school long before teachers arrive in the morning.

Mother-of-three Lucy Mannering paid $1500 in ­advance for a place at a facility that provided art lessons but in effect was a care centre for children after school.

The Leichhardt mum withdrew her child on the first day after finding out it was unaccredited and children were not safely secured.

“I was horrified — the kids were not supervised properly and I asked for a refund,” she said.

“The toilets were not under cover, there was a mix of older kids with younger ones and anyone could walk in and out.”

Ms Mannering, who has now found a place in an approved centre at Leichhardt Town Hall, said she was pursuing a case in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to recover her fees.

“Unscrupulous operators are preying on the (parents’) desperation claiming to look after children,” she said.

The Office of the Children’s Guardian said a working with children check was required whenever childcare involved a “formal or regular commercial arrangement”.

“Parents should request the child’s carer provide their working with children check number and date of birth and check the person is not barred from working with children.”