Cost of Before and After School Care

Originally Published on 16th December 2021

As parents, you have probably noticed at some point that while your children’s school day has finished, your workday hasn’t. You need a way to keep your child busy when you are unable to care for them, which is where something called Out of School Hours Care, or OOSH comes in.

The entire system focuses on care and recreation for children, and that includes before school, after school, on days when your children don’t need to attend school, or during school holidays. However, not too many parents know what the system truly entails, what it means for their children, and most importantly, the cost of before and after-school care.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve looked into these programs before, and you think you could use such a service for your children. So, let’s look into the before and after school care programs, what they mean, and how much they will end up costing you!

The Four Factors to Consider for After School Care Melbourne

Melbourne is a big city, and with that, you’ll probably look at several OOSH programs you can consider. However, not all of them are equal, especially in the eyes of parents and families that are trying to have their children entertained while being looked after by active professionals in the industry. There are four factors that you need to consider that will have a huge impact on what option you go for.

The first one is location. You need to consider where the service is in regards to the schools your children attend, especially if they need to get there on their own. This is a critical factor as you don’t want your children wandering around the streets unsupervised, especially if they’re not at the right age to do so.

Then, there’s availability. OOSH is a popular service in Melbourne (and everywhere, in general), which means you might need to book sessions in advance, and you might not get the availability you expected during registration for the service.

Next up, you should look into the staff and the centre’s accreditation. What kind of qualifications do the staff members have? Has the centre been assessed and rated against the NQS (National Quality Standards)? These are all crucial factors that set apart one centre from another, and you should absolutely consider them.  

And of course, last but not least you have the price. The price will vary from one centre to another, and there’s also a big difference in what you’ll be getting for the price, so let’s look into that in a bit more detail.

How Much is After School Care?

As we mentioned – pricing will vary. However, in most centres, you can expect to pay between $20 and $40 per session for a typical OOSH care session if you’re only paying the cost of before and after school care. If you’re looking into vacation care programs during the school holidays, the prices will increase. It is worth emphasizing that each centre has its own pricing regulations, and if you want the most accurate information, you should call the centre you’re interested in.

In addition to this, some centres may also charge fees for annual memberships, late collections, as well as any special outings or excursions during the holidays. These are things that the centre will let you know of in advance, but you should add them to the total cost when you’re doing the math.

Now that you know how to pick the right OOSH care and how much it may end up costing you, let’s take a look at what your children will be doing to keep themselves entertained.

What Will Your Child Do in OOSH Care?

The main goal of out-of-school care is to allow parents to do their own thing while knowing that their kids are taken care of from a social perspective. Unlike schools, OOSH centres focus on playing, recreation, and overall social interaction. The activities they’ll be organised are in both small and large groups, and there is also the option for a child to choose a quiet time when they want to read or when they have homework to do.

So, what are some of the activities your children might do? Well, there’s cooking, there’s drama, dancing, games, music, sports, arts and crafts, reading, you name it. As we mentioned – it’s all about giving your children the opportunity to socialise and enjoy themselves when they’re not at school.

Are There Any Other Factors to Consider?

Even though we discussed the four main factors, if you’re still debating between a few OOSH care centres, here are a few additional things that might impact your decision.

First, you should consider whether or not children of any age are made to feel welcome. Here it’s not all about the staff, but also about the other children too. You should see whether or not the staff is open for discussion about your children’s needs as well as the activities they offer. Maybe they won’t suit the interests your children have – is there an alternative they can do?

The environment is a major factor too, and you should see how the space is organised. Is it interesting, is it suitable for your children? This can impact your children’s development, making it a crucial factor during selection. Also, does the price include meals? And how flexible are the staff in terms of special dietary needs such as allergies?

Wrapping Things Up – What is the Cost of Before and After School Care?