About us

FOOSHC acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the First Nations People.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which our service is located. We pay our respects to the
Elders, past present, and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture, and the hopes of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people across the nation. We respect and honour the children who have played on this land
for hundreds andthousands of years before us. FOOSHC is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land,
waters and seas and their rich contribution to our society. 

We are proud to be playing our part towards reconciliation and working together to bridge the gap.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) can be viewed here. We invite you to join our RAP working party. 

Forrest Out of School Hours Care
supports and encourages children
to flourish and fail through a unique

play-focused program.

At FOOSHC it is our core mission to embrace and celebrate play.

Play takes on many forms and is unique to every individual. Through our knowledge and expertise of children and play, we know that children learn through play, therefore we plan for play.

It is inevitable that risk-taking will occur while children play and we believe that this is a beneficial opportunity to develop and master skills. By exposing children to risks they are able to learn their limitations, develop strategies to mitigate and manage the risks they encounter, providing opportunities for further brain growth and development. By not facilitating these opportunities we would actually be doing a great disservice to the children.It is inevitable that risk-taking will occur while children play and we believe that this is a good thing. By exposing children to risks they are able to learn their limitations, develop strategies to cope when faced with risks and so by not facilitating these opportunities we would actually be doing a great disservice to the children.

Whilst at FOOSHC all children will be given opportunities to explore heights, use tools, explore, create and build with various loose parts, and experiment and explore with the different elements, all under the guidance of our highly trained educators.

PHILOSOPHY

Everything we do is in the best interests of the child. We advocate for children’s voices to be heard and we honour and respect their rights, views and ‘being’, as the foundation of our program

We encourage children to learn - in the widest possible sense, about themselves, others, and the world. through unlimited opportunities we guide children to be their own individual self, to have a sense of belonging and ownership, and enable them to become empowered decision makers.

- fooshc

Our Values

Everything we do is in the best interests of the child

The standard you walk past is the standard you accept

Meet the Executive Team

Ali brings a wealth of experience to FOOSHC with over 30 years working with children and their families. She has directed many services throughout Australia within a variety of settings. Her previous role was as a Lecturer at CIT and the University of Canberra in the Education faculty.  Her abundance of warmth and kindness brings much love and positive energy to the children and families at FOOSHC .

 
Favourite Quote: Walk in Love and Peace
 
Favourite Food: This week- Oysters
 
Defining moment: Apart from the birth of her babies, it was when Sydney Swans won the 2012 grand final, she was there and it still brings tears to her eyes.
 
Her Dream Job : She’s doing it

Ali Sewter

Executive Director

Carl has  worked in school aged care since 1995 and at Forrest Outside of School Hours Care since 1998.  He believes  that children deserve the best possible childhood which to him means having plenty of opportunities to broaden their perspectives and feeling the freedom of unstructured time.

His  greatest joy of working at Forrest has been the ongoing relationships with children and their families which has sometimes culminated in those children coming back to work with him  here at Forrest.

Carl Kroon

Assistant Director

Kathleen is the other Assistant director at FOOSHC. She is originally from France and has been working with children for a long time and she loves to play and support children in their endeavours ensuring they always have a voice and agency in their play. When she’s not working with children, she spends most her time outdoors gardening, bushwalking, camping and at the beach. She  LOVES everything nature and wild, including dancing in the forest!

Favourite Food: Broccoli pesto pasta

Defining moment: Coordinating the family/kids zone at Origins of Entropy 2019.

Dream job: Running exploration camps in remote areas or Herbalist

Favourite thing to do in your spare time:  Camping out bush or near the beach

Kathleen Bertrand

Assistant Director

Kylie is the Educational Leader here at FOOSHC. Kylie’s role is to over see the development of the program we offer to children as well as the coaching and mentoring of the educator team in how to facilitate our unique program.

Kylie has over 10 years experience in the OSHC sector and is our resident Playworker.

Kylie has travelled the world learning all about Playwork and the benefits for children when the adults caring for them adopt a Playwork approach. 

Kylie believes that “once you have an understanding of playwork you cannot un -see it. There is simply no other way of working with children”.

Kylie Wholeheartedly believes it is our role at FOOSHC to give children back their childhood.

Favourite Quote: In Omnia Paratus – Latin for – ready for anything

Defining moment: other than recently becoming mother to the worlds best fur baby, Sprout, after waiting 28 years!! It would have to be the moment standing on an Adventure Playground in Wales where she realised she is, and was confident in referring to herself as,  a Playworker. 

Kylie Keane

Educational Leader

FOOSHC Excellence Team

At Fooshc we love to celebrate and acknowledge each family’s culture & diversity and recognise that different beliefs, practices and traditions greatly enrich our community. We welcome and support all children and their families regardless of their race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. We love to learn about your beliefs and culture so please complete ouFamily Support Survey and talk to us about how we can make your family feel more welcomed and supported in our service. The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.