Outside school hours care

Outside school hours care (OSHC) gives children—mostly school age—access to play and leisure-based educational programs. The programs are delivered before and after school, during school holidays and on pupil-free days.

OSHC generally operate for around 25 hours a week in schools, community centres and youth clubs.

Roles and qualifications to work in outside school hours care

OSHC services employ educators with a range of qualifications.

Educator—minimum 2-year relevant qualification (e.g. Diploma level or higher qualification)

Duties may include:

• manage the outside school hours care service
• plan and deliver leisure-based educational programs
• provide leadership and support to other staff
• manage finances and administrative tasks
• ensure compliance with policies and legislation.
  

Educator—minimum 1-year relevant qualification (i.e. Certificate level III qualification)

Duties may include:

• work with a coordinator or nominated supervisor (service director)
• help plan and deliver the service's educational program.

Relevant qualifications for educators working in OSHC in Queensland

To work as an educator in an OSHC in Queensland, individuals need to either hold or be actively working towards* a minimum 2-year or 1-year approved relevant qualification.

Educators who are 18 years of age or older have a period of time from commencing working in an OSHC where they do not need to hold or be actively working towards any qualification:

• Where an educator’s position requires them to hold or be actively working towards a minimum 2-year relevant qualification, the educator has 6 months grace period.
• Where an educator’s position requires them to hold or be actively working towards a minimum 1-year relevant qualification, the educator has 3 months grace period.

All educators under 18 years of age must hold or be actively working towards at least a minimum 1-year relevant qualification.

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is the national body responsible for approving, and publishing the list of, all relevant qualifications for educators working in the early childhood education and care sector across Australia.

ACECQA also publishes a list of approved two-year and one-year relevant qualifications for educators working with school age children in each state and territory.

In Queensland, eight areas of study are approved as relevant for qualifications for educators working with school-age children. They are:

1. Early childhood education and care qualification

2. Behavioural science

3. Community services

4. Creative arts, fine arts, drama or music

5. Nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, diversional therapy or speech pathology

6. Primary, secondary or special education

7. Sport and recreation

8. Human welfare studies and services.

Individuals can check to see if the qualification they hold, or are actively working towards, has been approved as a relevant qualification for working in the OSHC in Queensland.

Check your qualification: ACECQA list of Approved qualifications for educators working with over preschool age children

Explanation of terms

*Actively working towards: under regulation 10 of the National Regulations, an educator is considered to be actively working towards a qualification if they:

• are enrolled in the course for the qualification
• provide the approved provider with documentary evidence from the education provider of the course that they:
• have commenced the course
• are making satisfactory progress towards completion of the course
• are meeting the requirements for maintaining the enrolment.

Qualifications not on the ACECEQA approved qualifications list

If the qualification you hold is not on the ACECQA approved qualifications for educators working with over preschool age children list, you can apply to ACECQA to have it assessed for equivalence.

ACECQA will determine if you hold a qualification that is suitable for working as an educator in a centre-based service with over preschool age children in Queensland (refer to ACECQA's webpage on assessment of school-age qualifications).

More information

For more information on the qualification requirements for working as an educator in OSHC in Queensland, please email your query to ecis@qed.qld.gov.au.