Is After School Care Good for Kids? What the Research Says

This article summarises published Australian research on outside school hours care (OSHC), with sources linked throughout.

Most parents who use after school care do so because they have to: work hours and school hours do not match. A common private worry follows: is my child just being minded, or is this actually good for them? Australian research from the last few years gives a clearer answer than many parents expect, and it depends heavily on one thing: program quality.

After school care is now a mainstream part of Australian childhood

According to University of Queensland research, outside school hours care served 486,310 primary school children in Australia as at 2022, with enrolments up 111% over two decades as more parents, particularly mothers, entered the workforce. It has been the fastest growing childcare sector in the country (University of Queensland, 2023).

What the research found when OSHC was done well

A study by researchers from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre and Uniting NSW/ACT, with commentary from Professor Karen Thorpe of UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, evaluated a child-centred OSHC program across five Sydney services. The findings in services that collected quantitative data:

• Children’s prosocial behaviour increased markedly, with top-score rates rising from 55.6% to 71.6% over the program.
• Bullying-type problems declined.
• Educators reported a stronger sense of community, better wellbeing at work and improved engagement from children who do not usually join in.

The researchers’ conclusion was pointed: with nearly half a million children attending, OSHC “needs to be more than a babysitting service”, and when it is treated as a developmental setting rather than supervision, children measurably benefit.

What separates good OSHC from child-minding

The same body of research identifies the features of quality programs. Parents comparing services can use these as a checklist:

• Children have a genuine say in choosing activities (voting, surveys, small-group planning), rather than a fixed roster of worksheets and a television.
• Activities broaden experience: the study examples include robotics, woodwork, drama and community projects, alongside sport and outdoor play.
• Staff reflect on and improve practice, and services engage meaningfully with families.
• Physical activity is designed in. Current University of Adelaide research is specifically targeting physical activity and screen time in OSHC settings, reflecting how much of a child’s weekly activity window these hours now represent (University of Adelaide, 2026).

Quality is not universal: roughly 14% of services fall short of the National Quality Standard. Checking a service’s NQS rating, program and activity schedule is worth the ten minutes it takes.

What this looks like in practice at WAYS OOSH

WAYS OOSH in North Bondi runs its after school care program around exactly this structured-enrichment model: weekly themed programs across movement and gymnastics, outdoor programs in Centennial Park, business and innovation clubs, art, and sport, with qualified educators and collection from Bondi Beach Public School. Families can see the current ASC program or request the family information pack. Childcare Subsidy applies, which brings out-of-pocket costs down substantially for most families.

The bottom line

The Australian evidence base says after school care is good for children when it is run as a developmental program: prosocial behaviour improves, bullying declines and children who tend to sit at the edges engage more. The questions worth asking any provider are about program, voice and activity, not just supervision and price.

References

• University of Queensland (2023). Nearly 500,000 Australian kids go to after school care: it needs to be more than a babysitting service. stories.uq.edu.au (research by University of Sydney Brain and Mind Centre and Uniting NSW/ACT; commentary Prof. Karen Thorpe, A/Prof. Alyssa Milton, Prof. Ian Hickie)
• University of Adelaide (2026). Keeping kids moving beyond the school bell. adelaide.edu.au
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. National Quality Standard ratings. acecqa.gov.au

Looking for after school care in Bondi? Explore the WAYS After School Care program in North Bondi or make an enquiry.