The Office of Children and Families is working to implement a citywide, quality-focused system, tailored to serve our young people. We also work to connect Philadelphia families, children and youth with OST opportunities for academic, social, and personal growth.

Philadelphia OST facts:

• Out-of-School Time (OST) is the time a child or youth spends outside of the traditional school day. This includes after-school, before-school, weekend, holiday and summer programs.
• Opportunities available through OST can benefit a child’s academic, social, and personal development.
• OST programming is an important support for working parents and caregivers.
• OST is also about safety – children enrolled in OST programs are less likely to be exposed to violence and high-risk behaviors.
• To find programs, use the After-School and Summer Program Locator.
• Philadelphia offers a wide variety of enriching OST activities, ranging from math and reading support, to chess, coding, dance, sports, STEM and STEAM activities, creative arts, and much more.
• OST programs are open to all children and youth in Philadelphia. Families receiving any type of DHS services will be given preference for City-funded programs.
• With $23M in funding, the Philadelphia Office of Children and Families is the largest funder of OST programs in the city.