Service NSW and the Department of Education have invited public comment and feedback on the services needed in an expanded before and after school care (BASC) program.
The Department said the survey would help identify gaps in service availability and deliver extra places where they were needed.
It said BASC services currently operated in about 720 public schools across the State, providing care during the school term as well as on-site holiday care for students and other eligible children.
It said the aim of the program was for suitable spaces in all public primary schools in Sydney, Newcastle, Illawarra and the Central Coast, as well as major regional centres, to be made available from 7am to 6pm.
“Programs will operate alongside other community users outside school hours and will be encouraged to collaborate with sporting, cultural and artistic interest groups where opportunities arise,” the Department said.
“From July to December 2019, you can share your needs on before and after school care to help us better plan, deliver and manage services across NSW.”
The Department said it was offering the opportunity to parents to take part in face-to-face interviews to assist in identifying areas where services could be expanded or there were enough students across a few schools to support a viable service.
“The next phase in the development of an online platform will be guided by what parents tell us about the kind of support they need,” it said.
It said parents who were interested in participating in the face-to-face interviews should register their details with Service NSW who would contact them to arrange a suitable interview time.
More information and a survey can be accessed at this PS News link.
