St Mary's Cathedral

Yes, SCECS is an approved Australian child care provider. CCS is paid directly to SCECS based on family entitlements. Families are required to pay the gap, also known as the out of pocket fee.

To get an estimate of your family entitlements, use our CCS calculator found under fee information on your service webpage. This will allow you to view how much your gap fee could be.

You may apply for CCS via ServicesAustralia. You can find more information here.

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To claim CCS you will need to make a claim with Centrelink via this link.

To get an estimate of your family entitlements, use our CCS calculator found under fee information on your service webpage. This will allow you to view how much your gap fee could be.

Yes, SCECS is an approved Australian child care provider. CCS is paid directly to SCECS based on family entitlements. Families are required to pay the gap, also known as the out of pocket fee.

If your child only attends during Vacation Care you will need to provide the service with their medication for the . The service will require completed authorisation forms and medications prior to attending your first day of care. Please note that medication must be provided in its original packaging with prescription labels attached.

Your child should wear sun safe clothing, including a hat and enclosed shoes and pack a water bottle, morning tea and lunch. SCECS will provide sunscreen, breakfast, and afternoon tea. Please note that Vacation Care is a nut free environment due to allergies.

Vacation Care has a base fee per day. However, depending on the type of activity taking place there could be an additional charge depending on what is involved. Please check your service program for the total fee for each day. Note: CCS is applied to the total fee.

You are required to provide 7 days’ written notice to cancel a vacation care booking. If you do not provide 7 days’ written notice, you will be charged the full fee including any extra charges (minus any CCS if applicable).

You must be enrolled with SCECS to attend our Vacation Care program. In order to make a booking, you will need to complete a booking form. The booking form can be found on your service webpage, along with the program. Upon receiving your booking form, the service will confirm in writing whether you have received your requested days.

Yes, if there is sufficient demand from families. If the demand is insufficient, families are welcome to attend any SCECS Vacation Care service that is most convenient for the family. Please note that you will not be required to re-enrol.

The programs our qualified and experienced teams provide are specifically designed with each child and service in mind – you won’t find the same program at each SCECS service! A new program is carefully put together each vacation period, keeping our programs exciting and new. We offer a variety of fun experiences including games, drama, physical activity, cooking, craft, STEM activities, gardening and so much more.

At SCECS, we follow a rigorous recruitment process to ensure we hire highly qualified and dedicated educators. We are committed to fostering diversity and equality and do not discriminate based on gender.

At SCECS, the safety of our children, staff, and families is our highest priority. Our staff provide constant supervision to maintain a secure environment for everyone. We also conduct thorough risk assessments to identify and address potential hazards proactively.

All SCECS staff are required to hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC). Our Coordinators are certified in First Aid in Education and Care Settings, Child Protection, and hold a Diploma in Children’s Services (or are actively working toward it). We employ a diverse team of staff with qualifications ranging from Early Childhood Teachers (4–5 years of university training), Diploma-trained educators (2 years of TAFE or RTO training), Certificate III-trained educators (6 months of TAFE or RTO training), and trainees undertaking on-the-job training. Additionally, we have clerical staff and cooks/chefs who hold a Certificate III, IV, or Diploma in Commercial Cookery or Hospitality.

At SCECS, we encourage all educators to complete first aid training and provide a wide range of professional development opportunities, including traineeships. Our team regularly engages in professional goal-setting and training to stay current with the latest research in Early Childhood Education and maintain Teacher Accreditation Standards, ensuring the highest quality care and education for children.

In NSW, the educator to child ratio is 1:4 for 0-2 year old children, 1:5 for 2-3 year old children and 1:10 for 3-6 year old children. SCECS uses this law as a minimum standard and in most circumstances employs more staff to children.

All staff employed by SCECS must have a Working With Children Check (WWCC), and our Coordinator holds First Aid in Education and Care Setting, Child Protection and a Diploma of Children’s Services (or is working towards completion). SCECS actively encourages all educators to undertake first aid courses, and offers other professional development opportunities, including traineeships.

At SCECS, safety of our children, staff and families is our number one concern.  The Educator to Child ratio of 1:15 for OSHC services applies in NSW.  This ratio means that for every 15 children in an OSHC service, there needs to be 1 Educator available. For example, for 30 children, 2 Educators working directly with the children.Our staff will be supervising at all times to ensure the safety of all. Risk assessments will be completed to ensure that any risks have been mitigated. ‍

‍Our Statement of Commitment to Child Safety: SCECS is a Child Safe Organisation dedicated to the Protection of every child in our care. SCECS aims to create environments where children’s safety and wellbeing is the centre of thought, values and actions. This framework is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the rights of Children and aims to ensure that every child’s safety and wellbeing is maintained.

In NSW, the educator to child ratio is 1:15. This ratio means that for every 15 children that are present, there must be one educator on supervision. However, at SCECS, we have a minimum of 2 staff regardless of whether there are less than 15 children present.

Yes, we provide a range of nutritional, healthy foods for breakfast and afternoon tea. We are guided by the Eat Smart Play Smart (ESPS) manual. Each session, we offer a mix of various in-season fruit and vegetables, wholemeal breads, and cereals, heart-healthy lean protein and low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. We are an allergy aware service.

We collaborate with children and families to design an engaging program that reflects the specific interests of the children, ensuring their time at SCECS is enjoyable and enriching. Adopting a child-centred approach, we provide a balanced mix of educational, play, and leisure activities. We actively encourage families to share feedback and suggestions, while our educators facilitate spontaneous activities based on the children’s interests during each session. Since each service is unique, routines may be adjusted based on input from children, parents, and the wider community.

Yes, we understand the importance of family time and have incorporated a dedicated, well-resourced space in our afternoon routine to support children with their homework. We collaborate with parents to meet each child’s homework needs. From 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm, children may use electronic devices for homework in small groups under close staff supervision. If you would like your child to use a device for homework, please complete the 'Acceptable Use of Technology' form.