Invest in OSHC to Boost Workforce Participation

Junior Adventures Group has recently secured the Australian Government’s Worker Retention Payment grant of a 10% wage uplift for educator teams. This is such an important uplift for a workforce dedicated to the care, safety and development of Australia's future – our children.  

Childcare is a key focus of the federal election campaign, with the government and opposition setting out their respective stalls on supporting working families.  

Policy measures that widen access to affordable, accessible and quality childcare are in the best interests of families as it helps them meet their aspirations while delivering an enriching program for their children. But it’s also good policy in general, providing a wide range of economic and societal benefits. Key to this is the role that Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) plays in supporting workforce participation, whilst also wrapping around the school day to provide support for children on their primary school education journey.  

It really is a no brainer. Government investment in childcare empowers women who can take agency in making decisions that impact them and their families. This will also provide the economy with a much-needed boost. 

A critical part of the puzzle is OSHC, or what we refer to within the Junior Adventures Group family as OSH Enrichment. When children progress to primary school, families welcome not having to pay long daycare fees. However, the shorter school day and the 3pm finish leads to pressures of a different kind, as families juggle work and childcaring responsibilities. Our research with parents highlights that it is often women who make the choice to cut back hours or do the majority of the juggling to care for their children after school finishes. But that’s a choice women shouldn’t be forced to make.  

The nature of two working-parent households, plus cost-of-living pressures means that OSHC is an essential service to support workforce participation and children after school. It removes the pressure of the 3pm pick up and enables families to work as they wish, whilst enabling children to experience enrichment activities with friends, collectively together! 

What’s more, it is a service that is CCS-eligible, meaning it is more affordable than many families realise.  

As a society we need to build resilience and strong pathways to the future. These things come from supporting families and nurturing the potential of the next generation. That’s what we’re all about at OSHC.