School Holiday Program - Monash Youth&Family Services

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SCHOOL AGED HOLIDAY PROGRAM

CURRENT PROGRAM NEWS

Come along and join in the fun at our school holiday programs!! Programs start on the 22 nd September and run for two weeks. These holidays we will be visiting the Melbourne museum plus we will be orienteering our way through the ‘sky high' maze and walking through gardens in mount Dandenong. We are also going to be making and flying our very own kites with ‘Kites for kids'.

Come along and learn about Australian animals, the bush land and enjoy some fresh damper. Join in our masquerade party, hat parade or meanies and make-believe craft activities. Come and enjoy all sorts of fun and games throughout the two weeks! For more information call us at MYFS – see you on the holidays!

NEXT PROGRAM DATES

Sept 22nd – Oct 3rd 2008

PROGRAM LOCATIONS & PHONES

Glendal Primary

Sussex Heights Primary

Parkhill Primary

BOOKINGS

Call MYFS on 9518 3900

USEFUL NUMBERS

Department of Human Services

1300 650 172

MYFS NEWSLETTER

GAMES

QUOTES FROM THE KIDS AT THE PROGRAM

Our holiday program is great fun. We have lots of sports equipment to keep us occupied for a long time.The excursions are fun as well as the incursions.
On excursions we learn things and have fun. We have great cooking activities, paper activities, construction and heaps more. Overall holiday program is a great place to be.

- Jacqui B, 10 years old, sussex heights holiday program

ABOUT SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM

>WHAT IS THE SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM

School Holiday Programs, or Vacation Care programs, are provided to assist families with the care of their primary aged children during school holiday periods. They are intended to provide a safe, stimulating space for children while families meet their work or study commitments.

The City of Monash offers three holiday programs in our community. These programs are recreation based, designed to offer a wide range of centre based activities and opportunities to visit exciting places in and around Melbourne on excursion days. Activities are planned so that they are age appropriate, encourage fun and co-operation and provide opportunities for children to learn new skills. Children also have time for self-directed play at our programs.

All City of Monash Holiday Programs have obtained QA accreditation and programs are fully supervised by experienced staff. Programs operate from 7.30am - 6.00pm week days during school holidays for 9 weeks of the year. Brochures are available approximately a month prior to school holidays.

>MORE INFORMATION

Please contact Monash Youth & Family Services on 9518 3900.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I get a brochure?

Enrolment brochures can be obtained from most local primary schools, all council libraries and buildings or can be mailed to you if you join our mailing list.

How do I access the program?

Programs are designed for children who are aged 5 to 12 and currently attend primary school in the City of Monash. Once you have completed an enrolment form, bookings are accepted by mail only at MYFS and only during the designated booking period. Bookings are accepted following Commonwealth Priority of Access guidelines. Forms must be completed in full so that program staff have all the necessary information for the care of your child.

Can I fax my enrolment form?

No, our brochures are quite large and are colour coded for administration purposes. Additionally, all information must be clear and legible so we do not accept faxed enrolment forms.

What happens if I miss the booking period or I need care at the last minute?

Bookings are only accepted at MYFS during the designated booking period. This is to allow sufficient time for the processing of all bookings and also to ensure that program staff have some time to familiarise themselves with the children in their care. If you miss the booking period, you can contact the program directly from the first day of the program to determine whether there are vacancies on the day/s you require care. If vacancies exist, you can enrol directly at the program. You will be charged an additional $5.00 late fee per form to cover the cost of processing the form outside of the booking period.

What if my child has additional needs?

If your child has additional needs or is from a culturally and linguistically diverse background please call the Holiday Program Team Leader at MYFS (Monash Youth and Family Services) on 9518 3900, prior to the booking period to discuss inclusion support. Children with additional needs will be included into the program wherever possible, however, to ensure that we are able to meet each child's unique needs we must thoroughly plan, and have appropriate resources available, for a successful inclusion. Councils Inclusion Support Facilitation team can assist in this process as well.

How much does it cost?

Program fees are set by Council. Currently fees for a centre based day are $35.50 per child and $ 46.50 per child on an excursion or special clinic day. However, most families are entitled to reduced fees through their Childcare Benefit (CCB). CCB is available to eligible families through the Family Assistance Office. Please call them on 13 61 50 for more information and be sure to quote the Customer Reference Number of the City of Monash holiday program your child will be attending as listed on the enrolment form. Once you have your CCB percentage please contact MYFS on 9518 3900 for your reduced daily rate before sending in your booking form. Payment must accompany your booking form. You can pay by cheque, money order or credit card. You will receive a booking confirmation once your booking has been processed.

What does my child have to bring?

Children need to bring a school/sports bag with them. They need to bring lunch and snacks that are nutritious and do not require heating. Children should also bring a drink to the program. We request that children wear appropriate clothing and footwear for an active program. Children must also bring a hat and sunscreen to the program each holidays, with the exception of the June / July program, in line with our Sun smart policy.

Does my child have to attend the whole day?

Absolutely not! The programs are open those hours to try to accommodate the varied working hours that families sometimes need to meet, however, your child can be dropped off anytime after 7.30 am that suits your commitments. On excursion days however, it is necessary for all children to be ready to go by the times indicated on enrolment forms. This is usually 9.00am. Children who are not dropped off and signed in by then will be unable to attend excursions. Scheduled activities on other days usually run within the hours of about 9.30 - 3.30pm so that is a good guide. We know that 7.30 - 6.00pm is a long day to be in care for children, so find the hours within that range that suit you and your child.

Where do the children go on excursions?

All sorts of places - museums, zoos, playgrounds, movies, sports facilities and more!