Frequently Asked Questions-FAQs
Where can I get full details about the St Kevin’s Out of Hours School Care operating procedures?
Please refer to the St Kevin’s Out of Hours School Care Parents Handbook.
What is the enrolment form for, the school has all this information already?
Yes, the school does have this information but OHSC is a separate organisation is not allowed to access the schools records. We must compile our own and we need it easily accessible in case we need it urgently. If a child falls ill and it is 5pm and school reception is closed, we need access to parents’ numbers to call them.
Why do you need immunisation records?
Once again, we are a separate entity to school and whilst during term any outbreak of a immunisable disease would be handled by school, we hope to operate on school holidays in the future, and if we have an outbreak of something like chicken pox, we need to have a copy of immunisation records to know who we have to exclude from the service. This is a legal requirement for anyone looking after children.
Why do you need the ezidebit form for?
This is the authorisation for us to directly debit you for your fees. We must have this form before you can start using OHSC. As OHSC is run by parents, we dodn’t want to make relationships difficult in relation to money. By ensuring we have a direct debit system set up, it makes it easier for the committee (no chasing people they know for money) and for the parents (working families have enough to do without manually paying their bill every week). OHSC absorbs the cost of credit card fees except for American express and Diners. They attract additional 4.4% (or min of $0.88 cents will be charged)
Can I book and enrol on the same day
You MUST enrol prior to using the service. This is because we require a lot of information about your child in order to care for them adequately. The law sets down the minimum requirements for an enrolment and we must adhere to this.
We recommend families enrol in the service at the beginning of the school year. Then if you require "emergency care" we have all the details we require to care for your child, under any circumstances. This is essential if your child has any special medical needs, such as allergies, asthma, diabetes etc or dietary requirements. We also need of course things like emergency contact numbers in case of an accident.
However if there is a genuine emergency we will do everything we can to assist the family.
Can I enrol and then come along only when I need it
Yes, we call this a casual enrolment. What this means, is that you give us your white and blue enrolment form, immunisation records (and anything else relevant), as well as the ezidebit form. We add you to the system and your information is stored until you need OHSC.
A casual booking attracts a higher payment, so if you are able to give us permanent bookings throughout the term that is beneficial.
How do I cancel from a session?
The best way to cancel is to use the make or cancel a booking form.
If cancelling at least 48 hours out from your session, our enrolments officer will process your cancellation and there will be no cancellation fees. If within 48 hours or on the day, you will charged cancellation fees equal to a full session unless there are exceptional circumstances.
What if my child is sick and does not attend school on the day they usually go to OHSC?
If you are able to call the school and advise them to cancel your OHSC spot for the day that would be helpful, or use the Make or Cancel A Booking Form. Otherwise, when the carer marks the roll and finds a child missing, they alert the school who checks to see if they attended classes that day. Or alternatively an educator may call you to check. You will be charged a cancellation fee which may be reversed at the Committee’s discretion and only on presentation of a medical certificate.
I am enrolled. How do I book a session of after school care?
If it is more than 48 hours out from the day you need a booking, use the Make or Cancel A Booking form and we will add you to the attendance list for that day and the carer will expect to see your child.
If it is the day before or the day you want your child to attend the service, then please call the school (9578 1182), as we need to ensure the session has a place available. You will be charged an additional $5 late booking fee. We take a maximum of 15 children per day.
What happens if I am running late to collect
We understand that from time to time, people run late to collect their child. We ask that you call the carer on the mobile found in contact us to let them know. Everyone will be given one verbal reminder/warning and after that you will be charged late fees. Please see the fees schedule for cost.
Our staff have families to go home to also, so you being late impacts on their families as well. Serial offenders will receive warnings form the committee of management and we reserve the right to ban you from the service.
Where does my child go at the end of the school day?
The carers collect the children from the tuck shop window. So please tell your children to look for our carers there. They have name tags on and smiles on their faces! If in doubt your child can ask their class teacher. All teachers are familiar with OHSC.
What happens if my child needs to take medication during OHSC, what is the process?
We have strict guidelines associated with giving children medication. When you drop your child off at school in the morning you will hand the medication (in its original packaging with the correct label on it) in at the office who will write it up in their medication book with your instructions for administering.
The school then hands their responsibility of the medication over to OHSC at the end of the school day and we transfer the information into our medication book. Everything is ‘double’ checked to ensure there are no errors. The medication goes in our medication box (this is where epipens and asthma pumps are stored for easy access, yet it is high enough away from the children to prevent their access) and is administered at the time given. The dosage is double checked before giving and the carer signs the book. At collection time, the parent is then asked to sign the medication book when they collect their child to let them know the medication was given. If your child is old enough to self-administer the medicine they can so, but it must be under the supervision of our carer and the medication still needs to be given to the school by the parent with specific details as to the dosage and the time of the dosage.
What happens if the Educator is sick and OHSC can’t operate?
This would be a very rare occurrence. We have more than 2 educators, so they can fill in for each other when they are ill or if something happens; this is always our first option as the children are more likely to be familiar with our own carers. We also have Agency staff we can book at short notice who are fully qualified to come in and run the session. Although very unlikely, there have been cases in the middle of flu season when agency staff are fully booked. We would do everything we can to NOT cancel the session, but if we had to we would refund all fees.