School age care licensing
Quality school age care is all about providing a safe, suitable and stimulating environment for children before and after school and during school holidays.
To ensure your child receives quality care, the Queensland Government requires all school age care providers to be licensed.
What does licensing mean for parents?
For parents, it provides peace of mind, knowing your children are receiving quality care.
What does licensing mean for children?
For children, licensing means having access to activities such as skipping, playing, reading, painting, singing, and having fun while being cared for in a safe and stimulating environment.
What does licensing mean for services?
To receive a licence, services have to satisfy a range of requirements such as ensuring:
- safe and suitable play equipment
- indoor and outdoor space for a range of planned activities
- materials such as books and craft
- safe play areas
- somewhere to relax
- readily accessible toilets
- the specified number of staff for the number of children
- all staff have suitability notices (blue cards)
- staff complete appropriate qualifications
- there are procedures for staff to follow.
Licensing also requires services to develop and regularly review policies on a number of matters such as:
- hygiene practices
- dealing with injuries, illness and infectious diseases
- safety, emergency and evacuation procedures.
What qualifications do staff have?
Staff need to have child care, recreation, teaching or related qualifications and experience with school age children.
When must services be licensed?
- All new school age care providers are required to hold a licence and comply with the legislative standards before commencing operation.
- School age care services that existed prior to the implementation of the Child Care Act 2002 (before 1 September 2003 ) must:
- comply with the building standards for school age care services by 31 August 2008
- ensure staff have the relevant qualifications by 31 August 2008.
For more information go to:
- Licensing Process
- Child Care Legislation
- Child Care Qualifications
- Industry Information
- Child Care Information Service
Search for a child care location
Last updated: 12 March 2008.