NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has today announced that schools without an Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) facility will be able to apply for State Government grants of up to $20,000 to establish a service.
Mr Marshall said schools across the region would be able to apply for the grants from August this year.
“The grants are part of a $20 million Before and After School Care Fund, which will ensure more OSHC places are available from the beginning of 2016,” Mr Marshall said.
“The government is delivering on a key election commitment to help working families.
“I believe it’s important for government to make it easier for working parents to access before and after school care services and I’m delighted the number of OSHC places in the Northern Tablelands will increase next year with local schools being assisted with the cost of establishing a service.”
Grants of up to $20,000 to establish new services will be distributed to successful applicants from October this year.
Mr Marshall said the grants could be used for fit-out costs, tendering or establishment costs, or to pay for necessary equipment to support the new service.
“The government is already working to provide OSHC services in new schools in areas where there are not sufficient local services already available,” he said.
“The funding, included in next week’s NSW Budget, will go a long way to relieving the pressure that families face when trying to enrol their children in before and after school care.”