After School Kids (ASK) is an MSD-approved OSCAR (out of school care and recreation) programme based at 123 Pukepapa Road in Marton, one of three venues the programme runs from, welcoming children from five years old.
Out-of-school care fills the gap between the classroom and home, and good programmes balance structured activities with free play in a setting where children feel safe. In New Zealand, OSCAR approval from the Ministry of Social Development signals a provider meets standards around safety, staffing and programme quality, and it's approved programmes that families can claim a Work and Income childcare subsidy through. When comparing programmes, ask how staff are vetted — police checks and first aid training are the baseline for approved providers — and how the afternoon is structured.
For Marton and Rangitikei families needing care after the bell, ASK offers a relaxed, homely option on Pukepapa Road, with police-checked staff, many of them trained in first aid.