School age childcare delivery framework: executive summary (English version)

Executive Summary

School age childcare services play a vital role within our communities, offering a variety of options which families can rely on to support childcare needs, before and after school, and during the holidays.

In Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-26, we have committed to building a system of school age childcare where those on the lowest incomes will pay nothing. An expanded childcare offering for school age children is crucial to our national mission to tackle child poverty, to promote family wellbeing, help parents and carers to access study, training and employment, drive greater gender equality and to #Keep The Promise to our care experienced children.

We know that funding school age childcare alone won’t deliver the wider societal outcomes we seek. That’s why we are working closely across a range of policies and partners to understand and maximise the benefits of a funded school age childcare offer. Our action areas recognise this complexity and our people-centred and place-based approach focuses on tailoring local systems to meet the needs of the children and families within their communities.