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South Australia announces major OSHC sector reforms aimed at boosting quality and access
Fiona Alston
Jun 30, 2025
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The South Australian Government is overhauling its approach to appointing out of school hours care (OSHC) providers in public schools, introducing reforms designed to enhance service quality, safety and accessibility for families.
Significant reforms to how third-party OSHC providers are selected and managed in South Australian public schools have been announced, as part of the Malinauskas Labor Government’s broader agenda to strengthen early childhood education and care services.Currently, approximately 29,000 children, representing 21,400 families, access OSHC each week in South Australia. With more than one in six primary-aged children enrolled in OSHC programs, the changes are expected to have wide-reaching impact.
Among the 250 OSHC services operating in government schools, 151 are managed by governing councils and 99 by third-party providers. The reform package introduces a new two-stage panel selection process with a five-year panel deed and a nine-year Licence and Services Agreement (LSA) for approved providers. This aims to provide providers with greater certainty and opportunities to expand.
Improvements include strengthened reporting obligations, enhanced termination rights for the Department for Education, and provisions for collaborative procurement—enabling schools to jointly appoint providers. These measures are expected to improve operational efficiency and encourage the establishment of OSHC services in more locations, particularly where services can be clustered.
The reforms are particularly timely in light of recent concerns around safety and wellbeing in OSHC environments. All services must continue to operate under the Education and Care Services National Law (South Australia) and meet the standards set out in the National Quality Standard.
The announcement builds on last year’s updates to educator qualification requirements and the introduction of a new Certificate III in Outside School Hours Care available through the state’s fee-free TAFE program to support workforce development.“This work recognises the important role of OSHC within the Early Childhood Education and Care Sector, providing a critical service for families during the primary school-aged years,” said Minister for Education Blair Boyer.
“In the wake of the South Australian Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, the Malinauskas Labor Government has prioritised improving access to affordable and high-quality OSHC services to better support parents, families and children.”
“We are also making sure we have the tools to act when needed. I make no apologies for having the highest standards because all staff and students deserve their OSHC provider to do the right thing,” said Minister Boyer.
Read the full media release here.
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