Another Dandenong school will soon establish outside school hours care services, to further facilitate workforce participation while ensuring our children are cared for, thanks to the Victorian Government.

Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, today announced that Rosewood Downs Primary School in Dandenong will be among 53 across the state to share in more than $4.1 million in grants to establish a new outside school hours care service from Term 3 this year.

Rosewood Downs Primary School will receive $224,700 over the next four years for their outside school hours care service. The funding will help establish new services, and provide support for costs including resources or equipment, setup and administration, facility upgrades, small service viability and transport.

The number of schools providing access to outside school hours care services through these grants will increase by 2 per cent in Melbourne and 22 per cent in regional Victoria, with an overall increase of nearly 8 per cent.

This is the first round of grants to be awarded under the $81.6 million initiative announced in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to establish up to 400 new outside school hours care services at government schools.

There will be another three application rounds between this year and 2023.

The Labor Government is building the Education State so that every student can access a great local school and get a great education.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, James Merlino

“By creating more outside school hours care services, we are helping parents and carers to get back to work, study, training or re-enter the workforce as part of Victoria’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.”

“These services will ensure our kids are cared for, before and after school hours.”

Quotes attributable to the Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams

“This investment will go a long way to making the daily juggle of work, school and kinder just that little bit easier.”