$20m program lifts out of school hours care places

Forty-seven schools across NSW will open Out of School Hours Care Hubs by June as part of the NSW Government’s Before and After School Care election commitment.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian opened a new hub today at Camden Public School and said the more than $20 million Out of School Hours Care Hub Program would benefit families across NSW.

“The new hubs are an innovative way of providing additional before and after school care for more than 2,400 students across the state,” Ms Berejiklian said.

We know families are concerned about the cost of living following the pandemic, and I want to ensure affordable and convenient before and after school care is available to everyone who needs it and at a location that is convenient.

Since July 2019, the NSW Government has created more than 11,000 after-school care places and these new hubs will add to this capacity.

The Out of School Hours Care Hub Program, which will deliver modular buildings custom designed for Out of School Hours Care services, will cut waiting times and allow more families to access before and after school care services.

Rental subsidy of the hubs will ensure affordable care is available.

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said she was delighted to be launching the vital program that would benefit so many families in NSW.

“The NSW Government is committed to looking after families, and part of that is providing the infrastructure to expand Out of School Hours Care services,” Ms Mitchell said.

This initiative supports NSW families – it will allow more students to have safe, fun environments before and after school and during vacation periods, and for their parents to have the flexibility to participate in the workforce.

The new Out of School Hours Care Hub Program aims to fill gaps in access to services across the state, particularly in regional areas, as well as to clear waiting lists in areas of high demand.

Each Out of School Hours Care hub will have facilities for student activities as well as administration and storage areas.

The Out of School Hours Care Hub Program is part of the $120 million investment over four years to expand access to Out of School Hours Care for public primary school children.

The after-school care hubs initiative is on top of the NSW Government’s record $7 billion school infrastructure program to deliver more than 200 new and upgraded schools to support communities. Nineteen of these projects are located in the Macarthur area.