Vacation Care
Where does the Y operate Vacation Care?
The Y NSW operations Vacation Care during the NSW School Holidays at over 30 locations throughout NSW. We welcome both existing Y NSW OSHC families and new families to our Vacation Care services during the school holidays.
What are the different types of activities at Vacation Care?
Workshops are in-service activities and experiences provided by external partners of choice.
Excursions are activities and experiences provided outside of the licensed premise.
Can Kindergarten children attend Vacation Care excursions?
Kindergarten children can attend Vacation Care Workshops or Day Camps once enrolled in formal schooling in the Vacation Care period prior to commencing school (e.g., January holidays of the year they begin school). As per the National Regulations, risk assessments are conducted for each excursion, and the Centre Coordinator will determine if planned excursions are suitable for kindergarten children to attend in the Vacation Care period prior to commencing school. Kindergarten children can attend all other planned excursions in following Vacation Care periods for the year.
For more information, please refer to the Y NSW Excursion Policy and Procedure, available at your service.
When do Vacation Care bookings open?
During week 6 of each school term, Vacation Care bookings will open for the next School Holiday period. Keep an eye on our website for further details.
Please note that children starting Kindy cannot attend EXCURSIONS for Summer Vacation Care before school begins.
How do I book Vacation Care (via website)?
Customers who are new to the Y OSHC must first submit a casual enquiry on our website:
Once the enquiry is completed, you will receive log in details to view enquiry details and complete an enrolment form.Existing families who are already enrolled at a Y OSHC service can book via their Guardian Portal or Xap Smile App.
Need assistance making a Vacation Care booking in Xap? See our visual help guide below.
To book Vacation Care via the Xap Guardian Portal:
Login to your Account via the Xap Guardian Portal; https://www.xap.rocks/
Select the Families tab from the left-hand menu and go to "Bookings" in the top menu.
Select the green "+" symbol button and the "Add Booking Screen" will appear.
Complete all details and "Save". The booking will now appear under your Bookings tab.
Note: For CCSS Arrangement type, select CWA if you are claiming the Child Care Subsidy. If unsure, please contact us.
Please note Vacation Care bookings cannot be amended or cancelled once booked in.
Also note that children starting Kindy in 2024 cannot attend excursions for Summer Vacation Care 2024.
How do I book Vacation Care (via mobile app)?
Existing families who are already enrolled at a Y OSHC service can book via the Xap Smile App.
To book Vacation Care via the Xap Smile App:- Download the App and Login
- Select the menu in the bottom right corner and go to "Bookings".
- Select the green "+" symbol to add a new booking.
- Complete all details and "Save". The booking will now appear under your Bookings tab.
Please be aware, families must have setup their payment method for direct debits, to secure the vacation care bookings. Failure to do so, may result in a cancelled booking.
Please note Vacation Care bookings cannot be amended or cancelled once booked in.
Need assistance making a Vacation Care booking in Xap? See our visual help guide below.
Please note that children starting Kindy in 2024 cannot attend excursions for Summer Vacation Care 2024.
What should my child wear to Vacation Care?
For day camps and workshops, children must wear appropriate clothing for the season, a broad brimmed hat and enclosed shoes. For excursions, children must wear a Y NSW Vacation Care T-Shirt which can be collected from the service and charged to your account. School uniforms are not required.
Please note, the Y NSW is a sun safe service and children are encouraged to have shoulders covered.
What should my child bring to Vacation Care?
I’ve booked in a Vacation Care day, am I able to cancel it?
Vacation Care Terms and Conditions
Winter Vacation Care 2026: Free Shirt Promotion for New Students
Offer: Free Vacation Care shirt for eligible new students
Promo code: WINTERVC26
Promotional period: Winter Vacation Care 2026 campaign period from 15 June to 10 July 2026.
1. Promotional offer and period
The Winter Vacation Care new student promotion is available for eligible new students enrolling in a Y NSW Winter Vacation Care program during the Winter Vacation Care 2026 promotional period.
To be eligible, families must submit a Vacation Care enquiry or waitlist request using the promo code “WINTERVC26” through the Y NSW Vacation Care waitlist/enquiry form.
Families can submit an enquiry via the new family waitlist form:
https://www.xap.rocks/waiting-list?organisationId=c89c1b15-c1f7-4353-a4f5-e4fc6965bcea
The Y NSW may amend, extend or withdraw the promotion at any time.
2. The Offer
• Eligible new students will receive one free Vacation Care shirt when they complete their first booking and attend a Y NSW Winter Vacation Care program.
• The offer is limited to one Vacation Care shirt per eligible new student.
• The Vacation Care shirt will be provided after the student’s first confirmed booking and attendance at a participating Y NSW Winter Vacation Care program.
• Vacation Care shirt sizes and availability are subject to stock on hand. The offer will be honoured while promotional shirt allocations remain available.
3. Eligibility
This offer is available to:
• New families/new students who have not previously enrolled or booked into Y NSW Vacation Care or OSHC within the 12 months before the start of the promotional period, being 15 June 2025 to 15 June 2026.
• New students enrolling in Y NSW Winter Vacation Care for the first time.
• Families who submit an enquiry or waitlist request using the promo code WINTERVC26.
• Eligible students who complete their first booking and attend a Winter Vacation Care program.
This offer is not available to:
• Existing Y NSW Vacation Care or OSHC students.
• Current families with students already enrolled in Y NSW Vacation Care or OSHC.
• Families who do not use the promo code WINTERVC26 during the enquiry or waitlist process.
• Families seeking to apply the promotion retrospectively to an existing booking or enrolment.
4. Redemption
To redeem the offer, eligible families must:
1. Submit a Vacation Care enquiry or waitlist request using the promo code WINTERVC26.
2. Complete the required enrolment and booking process.
3. Attend their first confirmed Winter Vacation Care booking.
4. Meet all eligibility requirements outlined in these terms and conditions.
The Vacation Care shirt will be applied as part of the enrolment and booking process once eligibility has been confirmed.
• The promotional Vacation Shirt will show up on your Invoice as a debit named YMCA Shirt, then a credit will be applied to your account amount named YMCA Shirt Adjustment - WINTERVC26 PROMOCODE CREDIT.
• There is no payment charged for this shirt as the CR will reconcile the DR placed on your account.
5. Offer value
• The Vacation Care shirt is provided as promotional marketing material and has a value of $17.50.
• The offer is not redeemable for cash, credit, refund, transfer or any other alternative value.
• The offer cannot be exchanged for another product, service,
discount, or fee reduction.
6. Promotional code use
• The promotional code WINTERVC26 must be entered at the
time of submitting the Vacation Care enquiry or waitlist request.
• The Y NSW is unable to guarantee the offer where the promotional code is not entered correctly or is submitted after the initial enquiry or waitlist request.
• Use of the promotional code does not guarantee a place in a Winter Vacation Care program. Bookings remain subject to availability, service capacity, staffing requirements and completion of enrolment requirements.
7. Availability
• Vacation Care places are subject to availability at each participating service.
• Vacation Care shirt redemptions are subject to available sizes and stock on hand. The Y NSW will make reasonable efforts to provide an available shirt size; however, specific sizes cannot be guaranteed.
• The Y NSW reserves the right to decline, pause or limit bookings where a service has reached capacity or where staffing requirements cannot be met.
• The Y NSW reserves the right to end the promotion early if promotional shirt allocations are exhausted.
8. General conditions
• The Y NSW reserves the right to verify eligibility before applying the offer.
• The Y NSW may refuse to honour the promotion if it reasonably believes the offer has been misused, incorrectly applied or claimed outside the intended promotional conditions.
• The Y NSW may amend these terms and conditions if required to support operational, compliance, or service delivery requirements.