The Andrews Labor Government is helping more schools establish outside school hours care services, to get Victorians back into the workforce while ensuring our children are cared for.

Minister for Education James Merlino today announced 53 schools will share in more than $4.1 million in grants to establish a new outside school hours care service from Term 3 this year.

These schools will receive up to $75,000 per year over the next four years for their outside school hours care service. The funding will help establish new services, and provide support for costs including resources or equipment, setup and administration, facility upgrades, small service viability and transport.

The number of schools providing access to outside school hours care services through these grants will increase by 2.3% in Melbourne and 21.95% in regional Victoria, with an overall increase of 7.52%.

This is the first round of grants to be awarded under the $81.6 million initiative announced in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to establish up to 400 new outside school hours care services at government schools.

There will be another three application rounds between this year and 2023.

The Labor Government is building the Education State so that every student can access a great local school and get a great education.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino

“By creating more outside school hours care services, we are helping parents and carers to get back to work, study, training or re-enter the workforce as part of Victoria’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.”

“These services will ensure our kids are cared for, before and after school hours.”