Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) provides care for children outside normal school or preschool hours. This includes on a day a child would usually attend, but the school or preschool is not operating, such as pupil free days, school or preschool holidays.
On this page:
From 22 July 2024, a change to rule 45(3)(b) of the Child Care Subsidy Minister’s Rules 2017 allows OSHC services to also provide care primarily to preschool aged children either side of preschool sessions. Previously, an OSHC service could provide care for preschool children only where it provided care primarily to school aged children.
About Outside School Hours Care
OSHC provides child care outside of normal school or preschool hours. This includes care for:
- school children
- preschool children
- a combination of both school children and preschool children.
Outside normal school and preschool hours includes:
- before or after school or preschool
- on a day a child would usually attend school or preschool, but the school or preschool is closed (e.g. a pupil free day, school or preschool holidays).
Providing care for preschool children
OSHC for preschool children provides a wraparound service outside normal preschool hours.
OSHC services cannot provide care for preschool child on a day they do not usually attend preschool.
Example
A child attends preschool:
- Monday and Tuesday each week, and
- Wednesday every second week.
During preschool holidays, the child can only attend OSHC for full days on Monday, Tuesday and every second Wednesday to match their regular preschool attendance.
Service eligibility for preschool children
An OSHC delivering care to primarily preschool children must not deliver a preschool or similar program (e.g. kindergarten).
Additionally, an OSHC service and preschool service cannot operate from the same location at the same time. The OSHC and preschool components can:
- operate in different rooms
- ensure children and staff are allocated only to one service at a time.
Staff roles and duties must clearly distinguish:
- educators at the OSHC service
- teachers at the preschool service.
Learn about about CCS approval
Obligations
Family Assistance Law and National Law
Approved providers have rules, also known as ‘obligations’, they must follow under Family Assistance Law (FAL) and National Law.
FAL sets the rules for administering Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Providers that administer CCS must comply with FAL to maintain CCS approval.
The National Law sets a standard for early childhood education and care across Australia. The National Regulations outline operational requirements for services.
National Law and Regulations are administered by regulatory authorities in each state and territory.
Providers that are approved as an OSHC service under the Family Assistance Law are approved as Centre Based Day Care under the National Law.
Find information and resources about your legal obligations under FAL and National law.
National Quality Framework
CBDC providers and services must also adhere to the National Quality Framework (NQF).
The NQF is Australia’s system for regulating ECEC. It provides a national approach to regulation, assessment and quality improvement.
The NQF also sets rules about educator to child ratios for CBDC services.
Family eligibility and assessment
Families cannot claim Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for preschool sessions.
Families can claim CCS for care at an OSHC service before and after a preschool session.