The Darling Point Special School commenced a community funded vacation care program for children and teens with disabilities in 2008 and subsequently achieved Australian government funding to support the high levels of staffing required to offer a safe and supportive care service for these students. Funding continues through the department of social services.
The out of school hours care (OSHC) is managed by the Darling Point Special School parents’ and citizens’ association with oversight and licencing compliance supported by the school principal. Mrs Liz Patane was appointed recently as coordinator of the OSHC service including the vacation care service.
The service is licenced to cater for up to thirty children and teens and opens on school days from 7am to 8.45am and from 2.45pm to 6pm, and on weekdays in school vacations, from 7am until 6pm.
The service is registered for the child care rebate and the child care benefit and has a staff of dedicated, committed men and women whose focus is to provide interesting, nurturing care and programs for the children and young people who attend.
Programs and activities offered through this service include arts and crafts, water play, sports and games, bike riding, relaxation options, reading and story time, cooking, exercise and fitness opportunities, swimming and hydrotherapy.
During vacations, a wide range of visiting entertainers with a strong educational focus and excursions are provided to venues such as Southbank, cinemas, the science centre, the zoo, Daisy Hill Koala Sanctuary, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Ipswich Rail Museum during the Thomas the Tank Engine exhibit, IndigiScapes, sausage sizzles at local parks including Wellington Point with a walk to King Island, as well as opportunity to explore our city through public transport options including the city cats.