5 benefits of aftercare programmes

by Antonella Dési
Discover the transformative impact of aftercare programmes – these vital services extend beyond the school day, offering a safe haven and enriching activities for children
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Discover the transformative impact of aftercare programmes – these vital services extend beyond the school day, offering a safe haven and enriching activities for children, writes Antonella Dési

Aftercare programmes are a vital part of the modern educational landscape, offering numerous benefits for children and families. These programmes, which typically operate after school hours, provide a range of activities and services designed to support children’s development, enhance their learning, and provide a safe and structured environment.

Read on for what Genevieve Allen, MD of one of South Africa’s leading providers of aftercare and holiday programmes, Club Engage, says about the value of aftercare for children and parents alike.

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  1. Supervision & safety 

One of the primary benefits of aftercare programmes is that they provide a safe and supervised environment for children after school. Many parents are unable to be at home when their children return from school due to work commitments.

Aftercare programmes offer a solution to this challenge by providing a place where children can go to be cared for and supervised by trained professionals. This supervision is crucial for ensuring that children are safe and protected during the afternoons when they are not in school.

Says Genevieve: “One of our main objectives at Club Engage is to support families and ensure that the kids we look after are happy and content when they are collected by their parents. This means offering them a safe environment and a structured routine that is familiar and flows easily. We ensure that the afternoons are fun and stimulating for our kids, but also provide them some much-needed decompression time. We foster a programme that is supervised, but no over-supervised – a place where they can unwind, and where free-play, creativity, and imagination are encouraged.”

  1. Academic support

Aftercare programmes should ensure that all homework is completed before the kids leave to go home. However, Genevieve provides a distinction between homework support and tutoring: “There is a difference between the two. Aftercare provides homework support, which entails ensuring that homework is completed. However, if a child needs extra lessons in a particular subject – that is tutoring and that is something completely different. At Club Engage, we can organise additional academic support in the form of external tutors who can be asked to come in and tutor kids on request.”

By providing a structured environment where children can focus on their schoolwork, aftercare programmes can help improve academic performance and build confidence in their abilities. “What’s more, is that since the homework is completed by the time the child goes home, the family can enjoy quality time together at the end of the day without having to worry about homework being done,” explains Genevieve.

  1. Socialisation & peer interaction

Another key benefit of aftercare programs is that they provide opportunities for children to socialise and interact with their peers in a structured setting. This can be especially important for children who may be shy or introverted, as it can help them develop social skills and build friendships. By participating in group activities and engaging with other children, they can learn important social skills such as communication, resilience, cooperation, teamwork, and conflict resolution.

Genevieve believes that age mixing is a critical benefit of aftercare programmes: “Unlike school classrooms, in an aftercare environment, there are kids of all different age groups and they all play together. Age mixing promotes social, emotional, and cognitive development. Younger children learn from older peers, gaining new skills and knowledge. Older children develop empathy and leadership skills by interacting with younger ones. Playing together teaches cooperation, communication, and problem-solving, essential for navigating relationships. It fosters a sense of community and inclusivity, breaking down barriers between age groups.”

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  1. Enrichment activities

Aftercare programmes should assist with children attending a variety of enrichment activities that can help them discover and develop new interests and talents. These activities can include sports, arts and crafts, music, dance, and more. By helping to expose children to a wide range of activities, aftercare programmes can help them explore their interests and develop new skills.

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The Lily Rose Collection

 “With working parents, it is often impossible to fetch and carry children all over the place to let them attend various extra mural activities at different times in the afternoon. A well-structured aftercare programme, however, will dovetail with the schools’ extramural programme to encourage kids to attend. For example, a child can come to aftercare straight after school, sign in with us, have a bite to eat, and then go and participate in their extra murals. This way, we know where the child is at all times, and that they are fed and taken care of,” says Genevieve.

  1. Convenience for parents

Finally, aftercare programmes offer a high level of convenience for parents. By providing a safe and supervised environment for their children after school, aftercare programmes allow parents to work or attend to other responsibilities with peace of mind. Genevieve elaborates: “Peace of mind is one of the biggest benefits of aftercare programmes for parents. It reassures them that their children are well taken care of, allowing them to focus on their work, and ensuring quality time when they are at home together. This can be especially important for single parents or families where both parents work outside the home. Aftercare programmes can also help reduce stress for parents by providing a reliable and consistent childcare option.”

What to look for:  

Genevieve shares some tips on what to look for when doing your due diligence and selecting an aftercare programme for your child:

  • Ask them to show you the daily programme, and to go through and explain it to you in detail.
  • Get to know who the staff are – ask about their background and their qualifications. On this note, Genevieve advises: “It is important to note that aftercare staff don’t necessarily have to be teachers. When I select staff, I focus more on the care element, and as such, my staff have backgrounds in a wide array of industries, from event management to PR, sporting professionals, and so on.”
  • Ask to see the Police Clearance Certificate and have it verified.
  • Ask to see the First Aid Certifications.
  • Find out about the aftercare programme’s Release Procedure so that you can rest assured your child is in safe hands.

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