PARENTS of Primary School aged children are set to benefit from a new before and after school care program.
Earlier this month, Minister for Education Bill Shorten visited Lysterfield Primary school to announce that around 85,125 children will benefit from the new initiative.
Mr Shorten explained how this would alleviate the pressure felt at schools during drop off and pick up periods.
“Labor understands the stress working parents feel every day when they need to rush out the door and pick up their kids from school,” he said.
The project, named Better Schools: Before and After, will involve a fully funded extension to out of school hour’s care.
This will include a $450 million fund and will provide up to 500 schools across the country with the extended care.
The initiative will include; more flexible opening hours in schools, more options for parents to access out of school hours care and new high quality activities for children such as music lessons, homework clubs and more.
Labor Candidate for Aston, Rupert Evans, joined Bill Shorten at the announcement, and agreed it will ’make it easier for busy parents to balance their work and family lives.’
“Our new program will ease the stress and change a family’s weekly routine for the better, as well as expand the learning experience for children,” Mr Aston said.
Local families benefiting from this measure will continue to be eligible for the 50 per cent Child Care Rebate – up to $7500 a year – and other child care assistance, helping with the cost of living.
The funding will allow new out of school hours programs to be established and existing programs to extend the hours they currently offer.
The Better Schools: Before and After program builds on Federal Labor’s broad support to help families with the cost of living.
