Tea Gardens Vacation Care will open for the Easter school holidays and After School Care will commence from term two.

Great Lakes Council already provides accredited Children's Services in Forster Tuncurry.

While families attend from across the northern half of the council area, families in the southern half do not have access to after school care or vacation care.

"Residents and organisations in the Hawks Nest Tea Gardens area have approached Council with a strong case for the extension of Council's Children's Services into their community," Great Lakes Council's community development coordinator Chloe Beevers said.

A survey on current child care needs in the region attracted 43 responses representing 64 children from Tea Gardens, Hawks Nest, Pindimar, Bundabah, Viney Creek and North Arm Cove.

Most respondents indicated that they rely on friends and family to care for their children.

"From the survey council saw the need in the community for a service which provides parents of the area with access to a quality program run by qualified staff and which provides physical, cultural and learning benefits for the children who attend," Ms Beevers said.

The Australian Government's Welfare to Work reform package which commenced July 1 last year has significant implications for families and the need for After School Care and Vacation Care.

Without access to after school care and vacation care services families will have decreased financial support from the government and have limited employment options given they could only work during school hours.

Council's Tea Gardens based Children's Services will operate out of Tea Gardens Public School.

Enrolments and enquiries will be taken through council's Tea Gardens district office once the staff are recruited.

For more information contact Chloe Beevers on 6591 7221.

The reform requires that when the youngest child of a person on parenting payment reaches the age of six (or eight if they are a single parent), the parent or carer will need to apply for New Start Allowance, register with an employment service provider and look for paid work of at least 15 hours a week.