WORKING parents in the Northern Tablelands will benefit from a re-elected NSW Government commitment to invest $20 million to deliver up to 45,000 new Before and After School Care places across NSW, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said today.
Mr Marshallsaid the government was determined to do everything possible to deliver more out of school hours care (OSHC) places to help parents in the regionjuggle work and family life.
Grants of up to $20,000 will be available to Government and non-government primary school communities in to help establish new Before and After School Care services.
“Our commitment builds on action already taken by the government which ensures all new public primary schools communities have OSHC facilities where there are not sufficient local services already available,” Mr Marshall said.
There are currently 78,000 approved OSHC places in NSW across services located in 670 NSW public schools, 310 non-government primary schools and 386 other sites.
To help expand the number of OSHC services, grants of up to $20,000 will be made available to up to 1,000 Government and less well resourced non-government primary schools to help with the cost of establishing an OSHC service, and meet growing community demand.
Mr Marshall said grants would be made available to help primary school principals in the Northern Tablelands with the costs establishing a new service, to be run by the school P&C, not-for-profit providers or the commercial sector.
“All public primary schools that do not presently have a service will work with their P&C to decide whether an OSHC service is needed and if one should be established,” he said.
“Funding can be used for fit-out costs, tendering or establishment costs or to pay for necessary equipment to support the new service.”