When the school holidays roll around each year, you want to make sure your children aren’t just well looked after, but they’re also engaged and entertained in whatever it is they’re doing that day. That’s where vacation care programs come in. But with so many different options available, it can be tricky to know where to start when looking for the best vacation care for your little ones.
So, to help you track down the best vacation care programs, we’ve put together this handy guide.
What is vacation care?
Vacation care is a supervised environment where school-aged children can play, relax and socialise during the school holidays. A similar service, known as out of school hours care (OOSH), is also offered during the school term and provides supervised care to children before and after school.
Vacation care programs offer a range of activities and experiences to keep children engaged, entertained and socially connected during the school break. While the programs often focus on recreation and entertainment, they also include a mix of educational and creative activities that promote learning, social interaction and personal development.
How to find the best vacation care program
Just like other types of childcare, when it comes to vacation care, there are a number of programs that provide various offerings to suit different children and their interests. So, to help you find the best vacation care program for your little one, here are a few key factors to consider.
Variety of activities
Vacation care programs prioritise fun, play, socialising and recreational activities to keep the kids entertained during the school break. Common in-service vacation care activities include things like arts and crafts, dance, music, games and sport to name a few. In addition to these kinds of activities, many vacation care services also offer a number of different excursions, incursions and external activities.
While some vacation care programs offer a wide range of activities that are intended to appeal to a variety of children, some vacation care programs offer more specialised programs that focus on activities like sports, science and even wildlife.
Regardless of the type of vacation care program, most activities are pre-organised and published on a timetable so you can book your kids in advance. That way you can pick experiences and activities that meet your little one's interests. But be sure to get in early, many popular vacation care programs often book out or require early registration, so it pays to get organised ahead of the school holidays.
Qualifications of educators and staff
Although vacation care programs have a strong emphasis on entertainment and play, it’s still important to ensure your little ones are being well looked after by qualified educators and staff that are there to support your child. When you’re going through the decision-making process, be sure to check the qualifications and certifications of the staff that will be supervising your child.
While you’re at it, you might also want to look into the National Quality Standard (NQS) rating for the vacation care provider. This will give you a good idea of the overall quality of the service offered and how the service stacks up in terms of each of the seven quality areas under the NQS. Knowing the NQS rating can help you to make the final call when choosing between different vacation care programs.
Convenience
Although it’s important to make sure your little ones enjoy their time at vacation care, you’ll also want to make sure that the service is convenient for you. Whether that means finding a service that’s close to home or the office, the location can make a huge difference when it comes to choosing the best vacation care programs.
For many parents, taking leave for the duration of the school holidays isn’t an option. So, if you’re booking your kids into vacation care around your 9-5 you’ll also want to make sure that the service provider’s operating hours work with your job. Some vacation care services charge an additional fee for late pick-ups, so this is worth keeping in mind too.
Recommendations from friends and family
When it comes to finding the best vacation care programs, nothing beats positive word of mouth. Asking friends, family and even colleagues for suggestions can be a great starting point in your search for vacation care programs.
Parents that have used the service themselves are able to share valuable insights and experiences that you might not have uncovered during your own research. They should be able to give you a good idea of the quality of care provided and their overall satisfaction with the service.
If you’re not able to ask a trusted source, online reviews of the service are often the next best thing. Reviews and testimonials from parents who have used the service often provide positive and negative feedback that can give you a balanced perspective.
Use the Care for Kids childcare search tool to read reviews of quality vacation care programs in your area.
Cost
There’s no doubt that cost plays a key role in choosing the best vacation care program. Vacation care rates depend on the individual service provider, but you can expect to pay anywhere upwards of $60 per day for vacation care. More often than not there are also additional charges for things like excursions, incursions or even late collections, but you can always check in with the vacation care provider for a breakdown of their fee structure.
Some vacation care services also provide things like meals and transportation too, so make sure to check what the vacation care fees cover for the day when comparing providers.
Is vacation care subsidised?
The good news is that most vacation care services are considered approved childcare services by the Australian Government. So as long as you’re eligible to receive the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), you can enjoy subsidised vacation care rates.
The amount of CCS you’re eligible for depends on several factors, including:
- Your combined family income,
- The hours of work or approved activities you and your partner do,
- The hourly rate cap for the approved childcare, and
- The child's age and number of children in your care.
Use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to work out how much assistance your family could receive and estimate your out-of-pocket vacation care expenses.
