Is Outside School Hours Care regulated under the National Quality Framework?

Most OSHC services are regulated under the National Quality Framework, in much the same way as long day care and family day care, which generally means Provider Approval and a Service Approval under the National Law. Some services may sit outside the NQF or be subject to different arrangements depending on the jurisdiction, so confirm your service type with your state or territory regulatory authority.

What does OSHC include?

OSHC typically covers before school care, after school care, and vacation care during school holidays. The exact sessions offered depend on the service and the needs of the school community it serves. It is care for school-age children, delivered around the school day and school calendar.

Can a school run its own OSHC service, or does it need a separate provider?

Both models exist. A school or its governing body can be the approved provider and run the service directly, or it can arrange for a third-party provider to operate an OSHC service on the school grounds. Each arrangement has different implications for who holds the approvals, who employs staff, and how responsibilities are shared, so the agreement between the parties matters.

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC): A Provider's Guide

In short: Outside School Hours Care covers before school care, after school care and vacation care for school-age children. Most OSHC services are regulated under the National Quality Framework, so they generally need Provider Approval and a Service Approval, and CCS approval if families are to receive the subsidy.

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) is education and care for school-age children delivered around the school day, typically before school, after school and during the holidays as vacation care. Most OSHC services are regulated under the National Quality Framework, which generally means you need Provider Approval and a Service Approval under the National Law, plus CCS approval if families are to receive the Child Care Subsidy. This guide explains what OSHC covers, how it is regulated, the common operating models, agreements with schools, and the operational realities of running it well.

What OSHC is

OSHC provides care for school-age children at the times a school is not in session but families still need care. In practice it usually spans three kinds of sessions:

Before school care, in the morning ahead of the school day.
After school care, from the end of the school day into the evening.
Vacation care, during school holidays, often for full days.

Not every service offers all three. What a service provides depends on the needs of its school community and what the provider is set up to deliver. The unifying feature is that OSHC wraps around the school calendar and serves children who are already attending school.

How OSHC is regulated

Most OSHC services are covered by the National Quality Framework (NQF), the same national system that applies to long day care and family day care. That means most OSHC providers work within the National Law and National Regulations, are measured against the National Quality Standard, and go through assessment and rating. If the framework is new to you, our guide to the National Quality Framework explains how it fits together.

Because OSHC generally sits inside the NQF, the approval pathway looks familiar. You typically need:

Provider Approval, which authorises you or your entity to operate education and care services and applies nationally. See our guide on how to get Provider Approval.
A Service Approval for the specific OSHC service at its location. The difference between the two is set out in Provider Approval vs Service Approval.
CCS approval, separately, if families are to claim the Child Care Subsidy. Our guide on how to apply for CCS approval covers that step.

One caveat worth flagging: some services may sit outside the NQF or be subject to different arrangements depending on the jurisdiction and the way the service is structured. Do not assume. Confirm your service type and the approvals that apply with your state or territory regulatory authority before you commit.

Common operating models

OSHC is often described in terms of who runs it, and there are two broad models.

School-run services

Here the school or its governing body is the approved provider and operates the service directly. Staff are usually employed by the school or its body, and the service is managed as part of the school’s wider operations. This keeps everything under one roof, but it also means the school carries the full responsibility of being an approved provider, including compliance, staffing and quality obligations.

Third-party providers on school grounds

In this model, a separate organisation holds the approvals and operates the OSHC service on the school’s grounds under an arrangement with the school. The provider brings the systems, staffing and compliance expertise, while the school provides the site and the community. This can lift the operational burden from the school, but it makes the agreement between the two parties especially important, because responsibilities, use of space and expectations all need to be clear.

Neither model is inherently better. The right choice depends on the school’s capacity and appetite for running a regulated service, and on what the provider can offer.

Agreements with schools

Because OSHC almost always operates on or near school grounds, the relationship with the school is central. Whether the school runs the service or engages a third party, the arrangement usually needs to cover matters such as:

Use of space and facilities, including which rooms and outdoor areas the service can use and when.
Responsibilities and expectations for each party, so there is no ambiguity about who does what.
Duration and review of the arrangement, and what happens if it ends.
Communication and coordination between the service and the school, particularly around shared space, students and the school calendar.

A clear, well-documented agreement prevents most of the friction that arises when a service and a school share a site. Vague arrangements, by contrast, tend to surface as disputes once operations are underway.

Operational considerations

Running OSHC well brings its own practical challenges, distinct from a standalone centre.

Session patterns are compressed. Before and after school care happen in intense windows around the school day, which shapes staffing, rostering and program design.
Vacation care is different again. Full days across the holidays need a different program, ratios of staff to the sessions offered, and often excursions or activities that require additional planning.
Shared space needs care. Using school facilities means packing up, storing equipment and leaving spaces as you found them, often daily.
Transitions matter. Moving children safely from class to care, and handing them back, requires clear routines and communication with the school.
Enrolment fluctuates with the school calendar and family working patterns, which affects planning and viability.

Good OSHC operators build their systems around these realities rather than treating the service as a smaller version of a childcare centre.

If you are planning an OSHC service, or negotiating an arrangement with a school, we can help you confirm the right regulatory pathway, structure the school agreement, and set up operations that suit the rhythm of before, after and vacation care. Get in touch with our team, or explore our operational setup support to see how we help services open and run smoothly.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. OSHC regulation is administered under the National Law by your state or territory regulatory authority, and subsidy arrangements are administered separately by the Australian Government. Confirm the requirements that apply to your service before acting.