Previously, an OSHC service must provide care primarily to school aged children.
From 22 July 2024, OSHC services can also provide care primarily to preschool aged children either side of preschool sessions.
This means families can get CCS for care provided before and after preschool, for children who attend a preschool program. It will provide families with preschool children more options for affordable before-and-after hours care to help meet families’ needs. Preschool programs are delivered to children in the year before they start full-time school.
To be eligible to provide preschool OSHC, the care provided must differ from a preschool service. Some of the key factors we consider include:
- Type of care program delivered. An OSHC service should not deliver the same type of educational program to the preschool service.
- Hours of operation. Preschool and OSHC services must be separate.
- Staffing. Roles and duties performed by staff can be clearly distinguished.
Providers who want to establish a preschool OSHC as will need to:
- Obtain approval from their state or territory regulatory authority to operate a Centre Based Day Care service at the preschool premises. This must be a separate approval where the preschool OSHC provider is the same as the preschool provider.
- Apply for CCS approval for the new OSHC service.
Find out more and read examples on our website at Outside School Hours Care.