Learn OSHC

Play, leisure and intentionality: why choice still needs pedagogy One of the most persistent misunderstandings in Outside School Hours Care is that choice means the absence of pedagogy.

This week was International Day of Play, and I found myself reflecting on it from a place I didn’t expect — Westmead Children’s Hospital, where my son is recovering from surgery.
Yesterday, the Starlight Room held a teenagers-only play time.
And honestly, it reminded me of something so important.
Play is not just for little children.
Play is not just a break from “real life.”
Play is not something children grow out of needing.
For teenagers in hospital, play can look like games, laughter, music, conversation, distraction, silliness, creativity, or simply having a space that feels less medical and more human.
In a place where so much is decided for children and young people — appointments, procedures, medication, waiting, recovery — play gives something back.
Choice.
Connection.
Control.
Joy.
A moment to just be themselves.
As someone who spends so much of my professional life advocating for children’s right to play, this week has been a very personal reminder that play matters everywhere — in schools, in OSHC, in homes, in communities, and yes, in hospitals too.
Thank you to the Starlight Foundation for creating spaces where children and young people can still experience joy, even in really hard moments.
Play is powerful.
Play is healing.
Play is a right.

We’re excited to share that Learn OSHC Founder and Director of Learning, Belinda Wright, has written for The Sector on an important conversation for Outside School Hours Care.

In her article, “Same framework, different conditions: why quality in OSHC needs its own language,” Belinda explores why OSHC needs to be more clearly recognised in Australia’s ECEC quality conversations.

OSHC is part of the National Quality Framework, but school-age care has its own distinct conditions. Quality in OSHC often shows up through play, leisure, agency, relationships, transitions, mixed-age groups, educator judgement and the everyday moments that support children and young people before school, after school and during holidays.

At Learn OSHC, we believe OSHC educators and leaders deserve language that helps make this work visible, valued and better understood.

Read Belinda’s article in The Sector here:
https://thesector.com.au/article/quality-in-oshc-needs-its-own-language

Are we measuring quality in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) using the right language?

OSHC is a unique part of the education and care sector, yet quality is often discussed through frameworks and expectations originally designed for other service types.

In this thought-provoking article, the authors explore why OSHC may need its own language for quality – one that better reflects children's experiences, choice, agency, relationships and the distinct nature of school-age care.

It's an important conversation for educators, leaders, approved providers and policymakers working to strengthen outcomes for children and families.

Read the full article:
https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0YrTg0