Partnerships between outside school hours care and schools

Educator with parents and a child outside

At year end, education and care services and schools begin planning for transitions. Research tells us a sense of belonging is crucial for children’s health and wellbeing when first starting school and outside school hours care (OSHC) services and when regularly transitioning between settings. Transition goes beyond the first day. It is a process that continues until children form relationships, learn new routines and feel a sense of connection and belonging. Another key aspect of effective transitions is continuity, ‘where children and young people experience familiar or similar ways of being and doing from one setting to another’ (MTOP V2.0).

The concept of continuity suggests a continuous process that doesn’t end. An ongoing commitment to collaborative approaches for supporting children and young people’s learning, development and wellbeing goes beyond transitions. It is about building a strong and reciprocal partnership with schools that evolves and responds to continuous improvement, change and the growth of all stakeholders.

The Australian Education Research Organisation’s (AERO) Transitions between outside school hours care and school practice guide discusses evidence-based practices for educators, teachers, and school and service leaders. The guide highlights key strategies to achieve more successful transitions, focusing on collaborative partnerships and child-centred approaches.

Collaborative partnerships

The guide emphasises the importance of collaborative partnerships that encompass positive professional relationships and shared responsibility for children.

Positive professional relationships can be built and maintained when educators, teachers and leaders work together within the context of mutually respectful relationships and diversity. It’s important to promote a culture in which all voices are respected and heard. Additionally, building a culture of shared understanding through robust communication, joint initiatives, and effective policies and processes ensures all stakeholders maintain a shared responsibility for children and young people.

Child-centred approaches

Child-centred approaches to transitions are equally important in ensuring each child and young person’s individual needs, interest and perspectives are met (AERO 2023). When OSHC services and schools draw on child-centred approaches, they are more likely to commit to a shared vision for children’s learning, development and wellbeing. AERO’s guide emphasises 2 key concepts that foster children’s agency, build a sense of belonging and ensure continuity between settings.

Treat transitions as opportunities for learning and development: This section includes examples of practices like drawing on relevant curriculum documents from each setting and monitoring children’s progress in managing their transition. It also highlights opportunities for collaboration, exchange of information and joint communication strategies.
Connect practices across OSHC and school, while celebrating differences: This section discusses the notion of continuity across environments, practices and programs. It also recognises that there is a distinct and healthy balance between formal learning, rest, relaxation, play and leisure.

Sustained collaboration and holistic approaches

AERO’s Transitions to school for children with disability or developmental delay: Practice guide discusses evidence-based practices that can be used by educators, teachers and leaders to support children. The guide highlights the importance of all stakeholders, including early education and care services, OSHC services and schools committing to a continuous collaboration that focuses on holistic supports. This means working with family members, allied health professionals and outside school support agency staff to remove barriers and ensure meaningful participation for each child and young person.

Examples of practice

Consider how your service can maximise collaborative partnerships with schools that go beyond new year transitions. Partnerships should continue, evolve and respond to the unique context of each setting as well as the needs of each child and young person. The following examples of practice may help nurture collaborative partnerships between OSHC services and schools. They can also help foster mutual respect and a shared understanding between all stakeholders.

Services may consider:

implementing regular meetings between service and school leadership teams
developing shared policies and procedures where relevant and appropriate (for example, emergency management and positive behaviour strategies)
hosting joint events, celebrations and activities
participating in each setting’s initiatives to foster trusting and respectful relationships between staff
engaging in joint professional development opportunities that have been identified as a need across both settings
attending kindergarten/prep orientation days at the school (OSHC staff)
including information about each setting’s practices and programs in respective family communication channels (for example, making connections between school initiatives and OSHC programs and sharing information about curriculum documents in newsletters)
working collaboratively to address community needs (for example, an OSHC service organises 'learn to swim in the surf' excursions during vacation care because the local community program was closed).

Reflective questions

How do we ensure that any changes to practices, programs or operations throughout the year are communicated with schools?
What do our school partnerships look like in practice? How often do we communicate with schools?
What events can we invite school staff to join? Are there any school events or celebrations we can participate in or contribute to?
What opportunities do children and young people have in making decisions about their transition journey? How can we ensure meaningful consultation with children and young people?