The United Services Union (USU) has condemned Wingecarribee Shire Council for its closed-door decision to outsource the long-standing Out of School Hours Care (OOSH) service - warning that the move will cause real and immediate harm to local children and their families who depend on stable, affordable, community-run care.
At a confidential meeting on Wednesday, 19 December 2025, Councillors voted to hand over the OOSH service, which has operated for more than 30 years, to private providers.
The decision puts at risk the quality of care provided to around 130 Highlands children and undermines the routine, stability, and trust that local parents rely on every single day.
The decision also means any future decision to close the service, or to jack up prices, is out of Council's hands.
USU Organiser Rudi Oppitz said the Council's decision shows a complete disregard for local kids whose wellbeing should have been the first consideration.
"This isn't just a service on a spreadsheet, these are real kids who need safe, familiar, consistent care," Mr Oppitz said.
"Haven't we learned from newspaper headlines in the last few months that the safety of our children in child care can't be taken for granted?
"Parents drop their children off every morning, trusting the Council to look after them. Instead of strengthening the service, Councillors have secretly voted to pass our kids into the hands of private providers focused on profit."
Families are already under pressure following the earlier outsourcing of Family Day Care, which left many without adequate childcare options. Council had promised at the time to invest in and promote its OOSH service to ensure families weren't left behind - but instead delivered no strategic planning, no marketing, and no support to ensure the program could grow.
"Council failed these families twice - first by cutting Family Day Care, and now by gutting the only remaining Council-run childcare option," Mr Oppitz said.
"Parents are being left to scramble, wondering where their kids will go and whether they'll still get the same level of care."
The USU warns that privatising OOSH could lead to higher fees, reduced availability, and more uncertainty for parents already struggling to juggle work, school schedules, and household pressures.
"Parents need stability, not a revolving door of private operators," Mr Oppitz said.
"Kids need continuity, trusted staff, and a service that puts their wellbeing first. Outsourcing puts all of that at risk."
The union is calling on the General Manager and Mayor to urgently rethink the decision and to consult directly with families, educators, and the broader community before making changes that will reshape daily life for so many households.
"Council should be supporting local kids and giving families certainty - not making life harder through secret votes and short-sighted decisions," Mr Oppitz said.
"It's not too late for Council to listen to its community and protect this essential service."
The USU will continue to stand with local families and workers to fight for a strong, publicly delivered OOSH service that puts the needs of children first.
