Outside School Hours Care – Decision Making Regarding the Provision of OSHC

Small and regional OSHC grants

The Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Establishment Grants Initiative provided grant funding to Victorian government schools delivering primary aged education without an existing OSHC program. The initiative aimed to improve the availability of OSHC services across Victoria, ensuring that all children and families are able to access programs on their school site or in their local area.

The initiative had 4 application rounds between 2021 and 2023. Round 1 closed in February 2021, round 2 closed in September 2021, round 3 closed in July 2022 and Round 4 in August 2023.

Additional funding for small and regional schools

The 2024–25 Victorian Budget included a commitment to further support outside school hours care (OSHC) services at small and rural/regional schools funded by the OSHC Establishment Grants Initiative. Recent funding rounds have supported the delivery of OSHC in the 2025 and 2026 school years.

For round 3, the following funding is available:

• up to $40,000 to support an on-site OSHC service during 2027
• up to $10,000 to support the cost of transport to an off-site OSHC service during 2027
• $5,000 one-off payment to support the cost of changing from on-site to transport, or from a third-party delivered service to school council.

Schools are eligible to apply if they received funding for a new OSHC service, or transport, from the OSHC Establishment Grants Initiative and:

• the school or campus has a full-time equivalent enrolment of 200 or fewer or
• the school or campus is located in one of the department’s 9 non-metropolitan areas or
• the school has specific challenges or barriers to maintaining a viable OSHC service and
• the service has acquitted all prior funding, is charging market rates, and has received or applied for childcare subsidy (CCS) approval.

Applications will be open from 7:00 am on Friday 1 May 2026 to 11:59 pm on Sunday 31 May 2026.

Click here to access the application guidelines (DOCX).

Click here to access the submission page on SmartyGrants.

For any questions about this Initiative, please contact the OSHC Central Team at oshc.central@education.vic.gov.au