Berejiklian promises to provide before and after school care for all public primary schools

All public primary schools in NSW will have before and after school care by 2021, Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed

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ALL public primary schools in NSW will have before and after school care by 2021, Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed while promising to cut the cost of before and after school care for each child by upto $225 annually.

Speaking during her visit to Picnic Point Public School this week, Ms Berejiklian said parents can register their interest in a before or after school care service where they might not have one or theirs is full from July 1.

“We are getting on with the job of delivering this important initiative to ensure working families have greater access to more affordable, convenient and flexible child care services,” Ms Berejiklian said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian with East Hills MP Wendy Lindsay, at Picnic Point Public School on Tuesday.

“No matter where you live or what your circumstances are, parents should have access to quality and affordable out of school hours care for their children”.

The NSW Government also plans to reduce the cost of before and after school care by up to $225 per child per year.

This will be through a capped rental subsidy of up to $15,000 for providers who run services on NSW Government school grounds.

The $120 million, four-year plan, includes $50 million to help schools buy new equipment and expand their facilities and $40 million to provide rental subsidies to service providers at public primary schools if they can demonstrate savings have been passed on to families.

The government said $20 million is available to help schools where a stand alone service may not be viable, including smaller schools and rural and remote communities.

East Hills MP Wendy Lindsay, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Sarah Mitchell at Picnic Point Public School. Picture: AAP

Under the NSW Government plans, schools in metropolitan and major regional centres will have to open their playgrounds, halls or classrooms for before and after school care and school holiday care from 7am to 6pm.

At smaller or remote schools where an on-site service is not possible, transport will be provided to get the children to and from offsite providers or other schools.

The Premier was accompanied by Education and Early Childhood Minister Sarah Mitchell and the new East Hills state Liberal MP Wendy Lindsay.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Sarah Mitchell and Wendy Lindsay join the children playing cards at Picnic Point Public School.

Ms Mitchell said consultation on the $120 million investment would begin in Term 2.

“We will work closely with our schools, P & Cs, principals and parents, as well as the before and after school care sector, to develop flexible and creative solutions that offer parents support and choice,” Ms Mitchell said.

“We need to use our wonderful school resources better.

“It is not acceptable that there are waiting lists for before and after school care, while our school grounds are under-utilised,” Ms Mitchell said.

A new specialist team in the Department of Education is being created to coordinate services and manage leases to relieve this burden from principals.

IN OTHER NEWS

The $120 million strategy, over four years, includes $50 million to help schools buy new equipment and expand their facilities; $40 million to provide rental subsidies to service providers at public primary schools if they can demonstrate savings have been passed on to families; and $20 million to help schools where a stand alone service may not be viable, including smaller schools and rural and remote communities.

There is also funding for specialists to help co-ordinate services and resources to make it easier to setup and maintain a service and to take the hassle out of managing contracts with providers for principals; as well as funding to help parents and carers search for and access places online via Service NSW.