At present, COOSC is overseen by an incorporated Parent Management Committee (PMC), made up of dedicated parent volunteers. This committee operates independently from the Clovelly P&C. Due to changes recommended by ICAC the Department of Education now mandates that OSHC (Out of School Hours Care) services managed by PMCs must  undergo a formal commercial tender process when applying for or renewing an OSHC licence. So far all such tenders have been won by a for-profit provider. In contrast, OSHC services operated by a P&C Association are exempt from this tender process. To help ensure COOSC remains a community-operated, not-for-profit service, the Clovelly P&C (in conjunction with the COOSC PMC) is exploring the option to take over its management.

The members of the P&C are strongly committed to preserving a high-quality, 5-day a week (including vacation care), community-based service that continues to reinvest in the school. However, as this would be a significant responsibility for current and future parents (especially P&C members), the P&C is seeking feedback from the wider parent community before moving forward.

If you have any specific feedback or questions you would like answered please contact us.

FAQ

The P&C plans to maintain the service as it is and transition all staff across to the new P&C-run entity.

The current COOSC licence expires at the end of August 2026 which means that on or before this date, control of COOSC needs to be changed from the current not-for-profit service to either a P&C run service or a for-profit provider service. As the transition of control could take up to 1 year, we need to act now. Our current understanding is that if the P&C has made substantial progress to transition the current service then a short-term license extension could be issued to allow us to complete the transition to a P&C run service.

Following recommendations from ICAC, the Department of Education has changed the categories for different types of providers as below

  • Category A – Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association incorporated under the Parents and Citizens Associations Incorporation Act 1976
  • Category B – Not-for-profit organisations other than those in Category A
  • Category C – For-profit organisations

Category A providers (ie the P&C) are exempted from the need to be put out to tender when opening a new service or renewing a license. Under previous rules, OSHC services operated by parent-run (PMC) services were also classified in Category A however PMCs are now in Category B.

The additional governance required for P&Cs sees them categorised more favourably. Those features include

  • The P&C constitution is prescribed by the state government legislation
  • The principal is an ‘ex-officio’ member of the P&C and all its committees

The COOSC PMCs is made up of volunteer parents who have developed skills and experience in managing and operating a child care provider. However, the tender process is time-consuming, highly regulated, and would require a different tender writing expertise. As such, the PMC don’t believe they could compete effectively in a tender against large commercial providers who have staff dedicated to the tendering process. Thus far, no PMC-run OSHC service have been successful when tendering against commercial providers. Additionally, the PMC would need to compete each time the licence comes up for renewal (typically every 3-5 years). Transitioning to a P&C-run service that is completely exempt provides a much greater degree of certainty for the service.

Due diligence for an OSHC (Outside School Hours Care) transition involves a thorough evaluation of the OSHC service before it’s transferred to a P&C (Parents and Citizens) association. This includes assessing the service’s finances, operations, compliance, and other relevant factors. 

 The CPS P&C have engaged specialist OSHC consultants Partners in OSHC to conduct an independent evaluation of COOSC. In summary, their report found

“After completing the Service audit, it is evident that Clovelly OOSC is a compliant, high-quality Service that is striving to provide a safe, comfortable, and nurturing environment for the children utilising the program. 

The financial review concludes that Clovelly OOSC is in a stable, well-maintained financial position. The Service has enough cash reserves to ensure its ongoing viability and operation and the current employees, accountants/ bookkeeper, contracts, and subscriptions assist in maintaining the financial quality of the Service.”

Due to the child care licence being tied to the current Clovelly Out Of School Care (Inc) entity it is not just possible for the P&C to subsume COOSC. So the P&C will actually need to register a new child care provider (a Provider Approval and then Service Approval), become registered for childcare subsidy (CCS) and then move all staff, systems & processes across to the new entity.

The P&C would plan to create a sub-committee to run COOSC (similar to Friends of the Band and Canteen). Due to the significant size of COOSC within the P&C it is likely that one of the two vice-president roles would be dedicated to oversee COOSC.

The P&C is currently exempt from GST and therefore is not registered for GST. This status would need to be reassessed during the transition process.

There are several potential advantages to a P&C-run OSHC:

  • Community Focus: The P&C is able to prioritise the needs of the school community, ensuring that the OSHC service aligns with the values and needs of local families.
  • Cost Control: A P&C-run service typically has lower overheads and offers more affordable care options for parents.
  • Investment in the school: As a not-for-profit, the P&C is able to reinvest any profits back into the school. The current not-for-profit PMC-run COOSC has made very significant contributions to transformational works such as the school hall redevelopment and the lower field project.
  • Flexibility: Being a non-commercial entity, a P&C-run service can offer more personalised services across all 5 days of the week. Many commercial providers choose not to run the service during days/sessions that are less profitable.
  • Accountability: Parents are directly involved in the oversight of the service, ensuring a higher level of transparency and accountability.

If the P&C takes over, the P&C would aim to transition all management and staff to new contracts with the P&C run service.

While a P&C-run OSHC service has many benefits, there are also challenges. These challenges are very similar to those currently managed by the current volunteer run Parent Management Committee and include

  • Compliance and Reporting: The P&C would need to ensure that the service meets all regulatory and legal requirements, which can be complex and time-consuming. These risks are significantly greater than the P&C is currently exposed to with the services that it currently runs such as Band, Canteen and Netball. Some of the additional risk falls directly on to the officers of the P&C               
  • Resource Constraints: The P&C committee may face resource limitations in terms of time, expertise, and funding.
  • Staffing and Management: The P&C would need to be involved in recruitment of senior staff.
  • Ongoing Sustainability: Managing an OSHC service requires ongoing attention to financial stability, quality of care, and the needs of the school community.