NSW $100 First Lap swim vouchers now available, how you can access them
The New South Wales Government's First Lap learn-to-swim voucher program is now available.
The vouchers can be accessed in the Service NSW app.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced an expansion of the program in October.
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A rollout of vouchers from the NSW government will allow parents to pay for swimming lessons for young kids. Peter Rae
Mr Perrottet said the length of the NSW COVID-19 lockdown had prompted the changes.
"Many kids have missed out because the last three months, we've been closed," he said.
So what has changed?
Originally, the First Lap program had been open just to pre-school-aged children.
However, this year and next year, Mr Perrottet said, children enrolled in kindergarten would also be eligible.
The cost of First Lap has been expanded to $54 million over the next two financial years.
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How do I get the vouchers?
From today, parents or guardians of children enrolled in pre-school or kindergarten will be able to access the First Lap program through the Service NSW app.
The vouchers will be redeemable from December. Louise Kennerley
Customer Service Minister NSW Victor Dominello said the app would allow voucher-holders to examine a range of swimming lesson providers.
Swimming organisations were able to register to be lesson providers from November 1.
Mr Dominello said people could also access the program online, or in person at a Service NSW service centre.
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Why did we have to wait until December?
Sports Minister Natalie Ward said the program had been brought forward, but there were still questions about why parents needed to wait until close to the end of the year.
Mr Perrottet said it was simply an issue of making sure the First Lap program was working and easy for people to use.
How many vouchers is a family eligible for?
In the original announcement, it was made clear that every eligible child would receive a $100 voucher.
Particularly with the expansion of the eligible age range, this could see families receive multiple vouchers.
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