My Time Our Place Framework for School Age Care in Australia

Abstract

On 19 August 2011, the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth officially launched the Framework for School Age Care in Australia. My Time, Our Place-Framework for School Age Care in Australia will form part of the Council of Australian Government's reform agenda for childhood education and care and will be a key component of the Australian Government's National Quality Framework for childhood education and care. It will be incorporated in the National Quality Standard in order to ensure delivery of nationally consistent and quality school age care across sectors and jurisdictions. The Framework will ensure that children in school age care will have opportunities to engage in leisure and play-based experiences which are responsive to the needs, interests, and choices of the children attending the service and contribute fully to their ongoing development. It will support and provide guidance to educators working with school age children in outside school hours care, long day care, and family day care settings. The Framework for School Age Care builds on the Early Years Learning Framework and extends the principles, practice and outcomes to accommodate the contexts and age range of the children and young people who attend school age care settings.