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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
Pre-schoolers

5 benefits of aftercare programmes

by Antonella Dési, Lifestyle Expert and Writer
written by Antonella Dési, Lifestyle Expert and Writer

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.

 “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.

ALSO READ: Why screening school staff is non-negotiable

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BYY parenting and sleep expert, Sr Ann Richardson gives some pointers on finding the right day care for your child.
ExpertsParenting

Expert How to choose the right day care

by Sr Ann Richardson, Nurse and Midwife
written by Sr Ann Richardson, Nurse and Midwife

At some point in your baby’s life, you may be faced with the reality of returning to the workplace. BYY parenting and sleep expert, Sr Ann Richardson gives some pointers on finding the right day care for your child.

At some point in your baby’s life, you may be faced with the reality of returning to the workplace.  The decision to be a ‘stay at home mom’, or a working mom is based very much on everyone’s personal, spiritual, and economic needs.

Financial commitments may make the decision to return to work a non-negotiable one.  Some mothers are happy and content fulfilling a sole role of mothering and nurturing, whilst some personalities need extra challenges and stimulation outside of the home to feel fulfilled.

In our society some might judge working moms as unnatural, yet there are many different types of moms in the world with unique emotional, financial, and mental needs.

 Sometimes, the role of stay-at-home mom who makes the decision to care for her child is disregarded and undervalued for work and time given that is accorded little respect. It can seem like it’s a no-win situation. 

Check out: How to carve out time after maternity leave

The fact that being a working mother is something that many feel they must apologise for, at least some of the time, might make you doubt whether your children are happy and well adjusted, even when all the evidence points to them being so.

Finding a workable solution, from all aspects, be they financial or social, will make the often-traumatic transition back into the workplace much more bearable.

Having said that, ensuring the health and well-being of your child when you return to work (for whatever reason) will be of paramount importance to you. 

Research has shown that although a child may form close relationships with her childminder, this does not affect the emotional bond between mother and child.

Also read: 13 tip to prepare your child for their new sibling 

There are various childcare options:

  1. Individual child care
  • Utilising your existing domestic worker in your own home if she is good with babies and enjoys children and has the necessary skills.
  • Enlisting the help of a friend or family member
  • Employing a nanny or au-pair
  1. Group child care
  • Enrolling your child into day care

See the pros and cons of day care below:

INDIVIDUAL CARE

FOR

AGAINST

 Domestic worker

·  Individual attention for child in terms of stimulation and routine.

·  Familiar surroundings of the family home.

·  Flexibility of extended hours of care with the same caregiver.

·  Extra household chores can be done at the same time.

· Continuous care, even if the child is ill.

·   Lack of supervision in terms of stimulation and routine.

·  Isolation of the caregiver from a security point of view (safety in numbers).

·  No back-up if caregiver is ill, or on leave.

·  May be overloaded with other household tasks.

·  May not have the relevant knowledge or skills.

Family / friend

·  Individual attention for child in terms of stimulation and routine.

· If in family home, may be in familiar surroundings.

· Allows parent more flexibility in terms of time constraints.

· Limited exposure to infections from other children if the only child being cared for.

· Care is continuous, even if the child is ill.

· Rest assured your child is loved and cared for as there is a personal bond.

·  No back-up if caregiver is ill or on leave.

· If not kept in the family home – unfamiliar surroundings, and increased exposure to infections if many family members present.

·  Isolation of the caregiver from a security point of view (safety in numbers).

Au – pair or nanny

· Specifically trained individual able to care for and stimulate the child appropriately for his age and ability.

· Familiar surroundings of the family home.

· Negotiable for flexibility of extended hours of care giving.

· Limited exposure to infections from other children.

· Continuous care, even if child is ill.

· Extra duties, such as grocery shopping, and doctors’ visits can be dealt with.

· Isolation of the caregiver from a security point of view.

· No back up if caregiver is ill or on leave.

· Caregiver’s personal life may impact on the family.

GROUP CARE

FOR

AGAINST

Day mother

· Small groups of children (less than 6)

· Socialisation with other babies.

· Can offer care all year round.

· May have good staff/child ratio.

· Possibly checked by the authorities, if registered.

· Increased risk of exposure to illness.

· Exclusion if the child is ill.

· Inflexibility of routine to fit individual’s needs.

· May have insufficient staff/child ratio.

· Inflexibility of extended hours of caregiving.

· Exposure of your child to the elements early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, whilst travelling.

Creche/nursery

· Can offer care all year round.

· Sufficient staff to cover in case of staff absence due to illness or leave.

· Stimulation and socialisation with other babies.

· Increased security- ‘safety in numbers”.

· Possibly checked by the authorities, if registered.

· May have insufficient staff/child ratio.

· Inflexibility of extended hours of caregiving.

· Exposure of your child to the elements early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, whilst travelling.

· Exclusion if child is ill.

· Inflexibility of routine to fit individual child’s needs.

· Increased risk of exposure to infections.

· Inflexibility of extended hours of caregiving.

What to look for when choosing a childcare centre: 

  • Are you made to feel welcome by all the staff?
  • Get recommendations from moms’ groups, your communities, the local well-baby clinic, friends and family.
  • Is there a relaxed atmosphere, and a sense of joy around?
  • Is the centre clean, bright, and airy, with no smells of dirty nappies or cooking?
  • Are the toys and play equipment in a good state of repair?
  • Are the babies in a separate section from the toddlers and older children?
  • Do the staff know the children by name?
  • What is the staff/child ratio? (for small babies, it should be 1:3)
  • Do the children seem to be content, happy, and stimulated?
  • How is the distressed child treated?
  • Do they offer a healthy, varied diet?
  • Are the staff suitably qualified – and are they exposed to continuing education?
  • Is there a daily stimulation programme appropriate for each age group?
  • Is the geographical location of the centre convenient for you? Consider traffic flow with a view to time management.

It is important that you take your time before rushing into a hasty decision regarding child-care for your child.  Consider all options carefully and do some of your own research too and you will find the best place for you to feel satisfied that your child is well-looked after and cared for while you are at work.

Also read: How much formula does your baby need?

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