British Expats - School Holidays

Hi Eddie, there are vacation care programmes set up, also known as out-of-school care. If your visa entitles you to Centrelink payments, there are rebates and also some amount gets refunded via the tax system.

Here in WA, the opening hours vary a bit, somewhere between 0700 and 0800, usually closing 1730-1800.

How you decide on a service depends on many things:

where you live or work and getting to the service for the opening and closing times
their activities - some centres are fairly basic in their facilities, eg often community or church halls, so there's a basic kitchen, toilets and outdoors can vary from a lovely park setting, a large garden with playground equipment, or just a basketball court. If you centre just has the latter for outdoor space, then the excursion programme becomes very important. Some centres have very sporty activities, others more arts & crafts. My kids really enjoyed the excursions, to places like the cinema, bushwalking, cooking days, the Perth Royal Show, Kings Park, museum, etc, etc.
they might want to go to the same vacation care centre as their friends
where you kids go to school - some of the before-/after-school care services that serve your school also offer a vacation care service.

Some parents take it in turns to have a week's leave during the long summer holidays. A lot of companies here in Perth actually close down for 2 -3 weeks over summer, and you have to take leave whether you want to or not:blink:.

Some families take it in turns to look after other kids. I find that having 4 kids at home is no more trouble than having just my 2, as they're happy to play together. Going out with 4 kids - that's another story:ohmy: (for those of us not used to it).