Vacation care near me
Vacation care is school holiday care for primary school children, run by approved outside school hours care services on weekdays in the holidays. 5,150 services offer it, typically from 7:00am to 6:00pm, and you book it by the day. The Child Care Subsidy covers it: an 11-hour day at the average fee costs $110.55, or $17.69 for a family earning $120,000.
What vacation care is
Vacation care is the school holiday part of outside school hours care, which covers days a child would usually be at school when the school is closed, including pupil-free days (Department of Education). Each service publishes a holiday program of daily activities: craft, sport and games at the service, excursions, where the group goes out for the day, and incursions, where a visiting presenter or show comes to the service.
Vacation care is for primary school children. 4,882 of the 5,150 vacation care services also run before and after school care, and 268 run holiday care only. Services can take children from other schools, so look beyond the one at your child's school when it is full.
Vacation care hours
A typical vacation care day runs from 7:00am to 6:00pm (11 hours), across the 4,207 services that list holiday hours on the national register. 81% open by 7:00am and 92% stay open until 6:00pm or later. Excursion days can have earlier arrival times or later returns, so check each day on the program.
Vacation care fees and the Child Care Subsidy
Vacation care is outside school hours care for the Child Care Subsidy, so it has the same hourly rate cap as before and after school care: $13.30 an hour for a school-age child from 6 July 2026 (Services Australia). Outside school hours care averaged $10.05 an hour in the June quarter 2026 (Department of Education).
| Booking | Fee | Subsidy | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| One day (11 hours) | $110.55 | $92.86 | $17.69 |
| One week (5 days) | $552.75 | $464.31 | $88.44 |
Subsidised hours run out faster in the holidays
Every eligible child gets at least 72 subsidised hours a fortnight under the 3 Day Guarantee, and 100 hours when both parents do more than 48 hours of recognised activity a fortnight. At 11 hours a day, 72 hours covers 6 vacation care days a fortnight and 100 hours covers 9. Ten days in a row uses 110 hours, more than either allowance, so the last days of a full fortnight are charged without the subsidy. Ask the service how many hours its daily session fee covers, because the subsidy counts the hours charged.
Excursion and incursion fees
Excursion and incursion days can cost more than a standard day, because the price covers entry tickets, transport or the visiting presenter. Services funded under the worker retention payment can raise excursion fees only where the increase reflects the actual cost (Department of Education). Ask whether an excursion cost is built into the day's session fee or billed as a separate extra, because the subsidy is worked out from the session fee.
Work out your own gap with the CCS calculator, or read how the Child Care Subsidy works.
School holiday dates 2026 and 2027
Government school holidays still ahead, by state. Each range runs from the day after the last day of term to the day before students return, so it includes weekends and public holidays. Catholic and independent schools can set their own dates, so check with your child's school.
| State | Summer 2026 to 2027 | After Term 1, 2027 | After Term 2, 2027 | After Term 3, 2027 | Summer 2027 to 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Fri 18 Dec to Tue 2 Feb | Sat 10 Apr to Wed 28 Apr | Sat 3 Jul to Mon 19 Jul | Sat 25 Sep to Sun 10 Oct | From Sat 18 Dec |
| VIC | Sat 19 Dec to Wed 27 Jan | Fri 26 Mar to Sun 11 Apr | Sat 26 Jun to Sun 11 Jul | Sat 18 Sep to Sun 3 Oct | From Sat 18 Dec |
| QLD | Sat 12 Dec to Tue 26 Jan | Fri 26 Mar to Sun 11 Apr | Sat 26 Jun to Sun 11 Jul | Sat 18 Sep to Mon 4 Oct | From Sat 11 Dec |
| WA | Fri 18 Dec to Sun 31 Jan | Sat 10 Apr to Sun 25 Apr | Sat 3 Jul to Sun 18 Jul | Sat 25 Sep to Sun 10 Oct | From Fri 17 Dec |
| SA | Sat 12 Dec to Tue 26 Jan | Sat 10 Apr to Sun 25 Apr | Sat 3 Jul to Sun 18 Jul | Sat 25 Sep to Sun 10 Oct | From Sat 11 Dec |
| TAS | Sat 19 Dec to Wed 3 Feb | Sat 10 Apr to Sun 25 Apr | Sat 3 Jul to Mon 19 Jul | Sat 25 Sep to Sun 10 Oct | From Fri 17 Dec |
| ACT | Sat 19 Dec to Mon 1 Feb | Sat 10 Apr to Tue 27 Apr | Sat 3 Jul to Mon 19 Jul | Sat 25 Sep to Mon 11 Oct | From Sat 18 Dec |
| NT | Fri 11 Dec to Tue 26 Jan | Sat 3 Apr to Mon 12 Apr | Sat 19 Jun to Mon 12 Jul | Sat 18 Sep to Mon 4 Oct | From Fri 10 Dec |
- NSW: Eastern division. Western division students return Wednesday 10 February 2027. The ranges include school development days, when students stay home.
- VIC: Students in government schools start Term 1 2027 on Thursday 28 January.
- WA: Term 2 2027 starts Monday 26 April, which the Department notes is expected to be the Anzac Day public holiday.
- SA: The Department lists the summer holidays as ending Wednesday 27 January 2027, the same date it gives for the start of Term 1, so confirm the first day back with your school.
- TAS: Monday 19 July 2027 is a student-free day for Kindergarten to Year 10, so primary students return on Tuesday 20 July.
- ACT: Continuing students return Tuesday 2 February 2027; new students, such as those starting Kindergarten, start Monday 1 February.
- NT: Student dates. Gunbalanya School sets its own term dates.
- Sources: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory.
Vacation care by state
| State or territory | Vacation care services |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 1,512 |
| Victoria | 1,265 |
| Queensland | 1,065 |
| Western Australia | 657 |
| South Australia | 397 |
| Tasmania | 116 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 89 |
| Northern Territory | 49 |
| Australia | 5,150 |
How vacation care bookings work
- Enrol with the service first. The enrolment links your child to the service for the Child Care Subsidy, and you confirm it in your Centrelink online account. The subsidy is paid only when the enrolment is current and confirmed.
- Check an old enrolment. A child who has not attended outside school hours care for 14 weeks needs the service to resubmit the enrolment, which you then confirm again (Services Australia).
- Claim the subsidy early. You can claim up to 6 months before care starts, so a new claim can go in well before the holidays.
- Book by the day from the holiday program. Each day is limited by the service's approved places and staffing, so book as soon as the program is released, especially for excursion days.
- Ask about cancellations: the notice the service needs, and whether you pay for a booked day your child misses.
What to pack for vacation care
- A broad-brimmed hat and a water bottle every day.
- Lunch and two snacks, unless the program says meals are provided.
- Closed shoes for excursion days, and swimmers, a towel and a rash top for swimming days.
- A spare set of clothes for messy play and water play.
- Any medication your child needs, with the action plan the service has on file.
- Name labels on everything. Leave devices and valuables at home unless the program allows them.
Frequently asked questions
What is vacation care?
Vacation care is childcare for primary school children during the school holidays, run by approved outside school hours care services with a daily program of activities, excursions and incursions. 5,150 approved services in Australia offer it.
What are the hours of vacation care?
A typical vacation care day runs from 7:00am to 6:00pm (11 hours). 81% of services open by 7:00am and 92% stay open until 6:00pm or later.
Does the Child Care Subsidy cover vacation care?
Yes. Vacation care is outside school hours care for the Child Care Subsidy, with the same 2026-27 hourly rate cap of $13.30 for a school-age child. Your child must not yet be at secondary school, unless an exemption applies.
How much does vacation care cost per day?
At the June quarter 2026 average outside school hours care fee of $10.05 an hour, an 11-hour day costs $110.55 before the subsidy, and a family earning $120,000 pays $17.69. Excursion and incursion days can cost more.
Can my child go to vacation care at a different school?
Often, yes. Vacation care services can take children from other schools, and 268 services run vacation care without before or after school care. Ask the service whether it has places for children from outside its own school.
When do the summer school holidays start?
Government school summer holidays begin between Fri 11 Dec 2026 and Sat 19 Dec 2026, depending on the state. The table on this page lists every break for 2027.
Related
Service counts and holiday hours: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026; typical hours are medians of each service's listed holiday hours. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026. Hourly rate caps and subsidised hours: Services Australia and Department of Education, 2026-27 (from 6 July 2026). Definition of outside school hours care: Department of Education, service types. Excursion fees: Department of Education, worker retention payment conditions. Enrolment and claims: Services Australia, 30 March 2026. School holiday dates: state and territory education departments, 2026 and 2027 term dates, checked 30 October 2026.