Students from Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Specialist School will soon be able to access free High Intensity Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) designed and staffed for students with disability.
The state government announced the support on October 24, which will start for the first time at 15 more specialist schools following a pilot program in 2018.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the extra care will give families the support they need.
“Parents and carers of children at specialist schools have told us finding care outside school hours is one of the biggest challenges they face,” Ms Allan said.
“We’re giving families the support they need so they spend less time juggling caring with work or study, and more time with their loved ones.”
The pilot program was established in five specialist schools across Victoria, with 92 per cent of parents either taking up, or planning to take up extra work or training.
The government said the program made a profound difference to kids, with improvements in educational and emotional outcomes, and parents reported improved wellbeing.
The services will be free for families to use, with high educator-to-child ratios and activities, excursions and school holiday programs tailored to the needs of children with disability.
The five pilot schools, Bendigo Special Developmental School, Jackson School, Kalianna Special School, Officer Specialist School and Yarrabah School,will continue to provide OSHC.
Fifteen new sites including nearby Melton Specialist School, will get underway in 2024, with a further ten schools to follow in 2025 and 2026.
