Useful links and information to help OSCAR providers meet the accreditation standards
Accreditation Standards for OSCAR providers
Applications for OSCAR accreditation
Resources for meeting Social Sector Accreditation Standards
Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) providers deliver before and after school care, holiday programmes and camps. This is for children attending school up to the age of 13 (or children aged up to 18 years if they are eligible to receive a Child Disability Allowance).
Te Kāhui Kāhu is unable to provide any assurances for OSCAR services delivered by organisations who do not have accreditation.
Accreditation Standards for OSCAR providers |
Applications for OSCAR accreditation |
To become accredited, an OSCAR provider needs to be able to meet: Level 3 Social Sector Accreditation Standards Level 3 Specialist Accreditation Standard: Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) programmes Where applicable, OSCAR providers will also have to meet: |
Apply for Level 3 OSCAR accreditation Level 3 OSCAR adding a programme delivery site application form Level 3 OSCAR adding a service type application form |
If you no longer want to run your OSCAR programme, you will need to let us know. Find out how to relinquish your accreditation below:
You may also want to contact Work and Income about subsidies and grants so that you do not incur a debt.
A sole charge application is for an exemption to the supervision requirements of the OSCAR accreditation standard.
The standard requires a minimum of two staff members to effectively supervise children at all times. An exemption allows the programme to operate with one staff member, with no more than ten children attending at any one time.
An exemption may be considered for a specific programme delivered by an accredited OSCAR provider, and a site visit may be required.
Only OSCAR before and after school care programmes are eligible. An exemption will not be given to holiday programmes or camps.
The provider must provide evidence that shows how the safety of staff and children will be maintained. They must meet and continue to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Social Sector Accreditation Standards, and the Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) standard.
An exemption is programme specific. The exemption does not allow discretion for sole charge to be used on selected days.
If a provider wants to operate an additional programme after being granted a sole charge exemption, an additional application must be made.
Please advise us at accreditation@tekahuikahu.govt.nz if a sole charge exemption is no longer required.
This means the service must return to the usual supervision requirements of the specialist standard: Out of School Care and Recreation.
If your organisation wants to deliver its OSCAR programme from home, there is additional criteria that you need to meet:
You will be assessed on the information you provide by completing the following form:
Email it to accreditation@tekahuikahu.govt.nz
Note: If you are a Home-based OSCAR organisation, you do not require a site visit. However sometimes you may be required to have an on-site assessment to clarify information or respond to concerns raised during the desk-based assessment.
If you have any questions about this process, or the information you are required to provide, please contact us on at accreditation@tekahuikahu.govt.nz
An OSCAR provider must be accredited to provide subsidised OSCAR programmes. See the Work and Income website for information on the OSCAR subsidy.
Having accreditation does not guarantee funding. For any OSCAR funding queries and information, please see the Work and Income website:
For more information about OSCAR Funding and Subsidies you could also contact the Work and Income OSCAR team: Email OSCAR contracts
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