It was with much excitement that our newest Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service opened its doors on Monday 5 August at St Patrick’s School in Gordon.

Before School and After School Care are offered daily, and the service has been embraced by families. Almost half of all children at the school are already enrolled, in anticipation of attending in the near future.

Principal of the school, Paul McDowell, had been keen to offer an OSHC program after there had been no provision for over a term. Having care located at the school was of importance to the families and to the school community, so being able to deliver this onsite was highly valued.

“Working with Paul and the team was great,” said Elvie Jenkins, OSHC Manager. “Everyone was very supportive and keen to streamline the process as much as possible. We were all working towards having a program in place as soon as possible, while still ensuring that all the Department requirements were met to a high standard.”

“We pride ourselves on the quality of our program and our fantastic committed staff. It’s wonderful to be approached by schools such as St Patrick’s, on the basis of our reputation in the community.”

The Y Ballarat now offers Outside School Hours Care at 9 venues in Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Ararat, Hamilton and Gordon, with the Holiday Program operating at 5 locations.

“We often hear from families how much of a difference having care before and after school makes to their lives. Not everyone has a family member that can step in and pick up children after school,” said Emily Griffiths, OSHC Program Director for the Ballarat region.

“For many, it opens up the possibility of working more hours. Families also value the range of activities and experiences that our Educators create, and the opportunity for children to perhaps enjoy things that they might not have at home or play games with others after school.

Our first week in Gordon has got off to such a great start. It’s such a lovely venue, in a picturesque setting. We’re so looking forward to getting to know the children and families better.”

Find out more about Outside School Hours Care here.