What Families Want From Out-Of-School Childcare

Action Plan reflects what families want from out of school childcare services

The Families Commission is delighted that the voice of families has been reflected in the draft five year action plan to improve out of school childcare services.

The action plan has just been released for public comment and addresses many of the issues of quality, accessibility and affordability that were raised by families during consultation held by the Families Commission last year.

"Our consultation found that the biggest issue for families was the affordability of after-school services and school holiday programmes. People also wanted to know that services were of good quality and they wanted improvements to the range and number of services that were available," said Rajen Prasad, Chief Commissioner of the Families Commission.

Dunedin sole parent Justine Tindley cares for nine-year-old twin boys and picks up casual work within the film and television industry. She took part in the Families Commission consultation because she's looking for more flexibility in the way services are funded.

"When I'm working, I don't finish until after 6pm and that's when the penalty rate kicks in at the after-school care. It's also very difficult for me to get my children into after-school care programmes as I only need the service when I've got work. To get round this, I pay for a high school student to look after my children at home when I'm working It would be great if the Government looked at funding this type of in-home out of school care," she said.

Dunedin father David Ritchie has one child at school and two who'll start in a few years time. At the moment he isn't using any out of school care, saying that cost is a 'bit of a barrier'. "With three children, the cost of childcare will always be an issue. I also want some assurances about the quality and standard of care my children are getting in an out of school service," he said.

Rajen Prasad said "The Commission is pleased that the views of the parents, carers and children we consulted with are directly influencing policy developments both in the draft five-year action plan and this year's Budget package," he said.

"We believe that all families with school-aged children should have access to affordable, quality services and have recommended a significant increase in government investment in the sector."

Some of its initiatives discussed in the draft action plan were announced in the 2007 Budget to address immediate issues. These include the establishment of 12 activity-based out of school programmes, increasing the pool of funding available to providers, enhancing the approval process for providers, establishing a Quality Review Group and reviewing how Government funds out of school services.

The Commission says the public consultation process is a further opportunity for families to have a say in the way out of school childcare services are provided and funded.

ENDS

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