Abstract:
Outside School Hours Care has been referred to the ‘Cinderella’ of child care services. Emerging Australian research about outside school hours care (OSHC) services is casting a new look for the image of the sector. This session will discuss current national and international research that is challenging ‘taken for granted ways’ of thinking about this essential service for children and families. Everybody thinks about OSHC differently and how they think about it has multiple implications, in particular the sorts of services that are provided. The image of OSHC has implications for programming, infrastructure, equity, workforce and relationships with schools. This session will investigate the perceptions emerging form the research that differing people have about OSHC and the ways in which they matter. It will propose to consider whether this research can change how OSHC is seen and how it might improve outcomes for children and families.