Commencing on January 31, 2018, the NSW Government will allocate $207 million over four years to establish Active Kids which is a program to help NSW families meet the costs of getting their children into sport and fitness activities.
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The government will provide vouchers valued at $100 which can be used for registration and participation costs for sport and fitness activities. The initiative aims to reduce barriers to participation and help improve physical activity behaviours in NSW children.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics found in 2015-16 that 27.4 per cent of of children aged 5 to 17 were overweight or obese, with 74 per cent of children not getting enough physical exercise.
Given the ongoing health risks and costs associated with these trends, the NSW government has implemented a variety of programs to try and address the situation.
Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, said the program was designed to benefit entire families. “We’re helping to ensure families don’t have to stretch their budgets and to ensure their kids are active and healthy,” Mr Ayres said.
Every child aged 4.5 to 18 years who is enrolled in school from kindergarten to Year 12 will be eligible, including those who are home-schooled or at TAFE.
Parents and guardians of children with disabilities or who live in rural or remote areas of NSW may discuss their registration with the Office of Sport.
For full details of the Active Kids program visit: sport.nsw.gov.au/sectordevelopment/activekids