Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a handy list of things most Guardians like to know about our camps:
How much do Programs Cost?
Prices for each program vary, but in almost all cases we charge below the maximum recommendation of the NDIA (based on their price guide). To understand more about a specific program’s price, enquire and speak with our customer service team who can send you through full pricing documentation for the specific camp(s) you are after 🙂
What are the options for fussy eaters or other dietary restrictions?
We bring camp chefs on our programs, so we can easily provide different meal options for kids that may be fussy eaters, have sensory needs, or have specific dietary restrictions. Please let us know the details so we can provide the best options for your child! We will email you a full food plan (including ingredients in each meal) should you wish to have one before going on camp 🙂
We have medications that need to be taken during the camp
Most of our participants have some medications that need to be taken during the camp (over 80%), so this fairly expected.
We have qualified staff who are able to administer medicine or oversee self-administered medications.
We ask that medications come to camp in their original containers/packaging or a labelled dosing container with details provided to the staff before the program.
Please label these with your participant’s name 🙂 The Program Coordinator will confirm these details/needs with you during your Guardian Meeting to ensure we have all the details we need to make sure any important medications are taken correctly and on time while on program with us!
When and Where am I picking my child up from?
We should have already picked a designated Pick Up and Drop Off location with you when confirming the camp, however, please contact us to discuss any alternative options if these are difficult for you to access.
We generally have 2 – 3 pick up locations that are on our travel route to ensure participants have more time doing fun, hands-on activities instead of too much bus travel time!
We will be sending out the exact pick up and drop off times once these details have been confirmed with all guardians, to ensure you get one accurate time to remember. This will be sent to you the week prior to the camp to allow for any slight itinerary changes to be finalised.
What are the room/sleeping allocations?
Generally this is slightly different for each of our locations and accommodation. However, we always opt for small-group, dormitory-style sleeping arrangements, specifically as this encourages the social environment that we aim to facilitate.
Of course, if your young explorers prefer or require a specific sleeping arrangement (such as their own room) then often this can indeed be accommodated, but may depend on the exact camp location.
If you need to know this prior, feel welcome to ask our customer service team and they’ll do some research and get back to you.
Otherwise, we can chat on the ‘Pre-camp Guardian Meeting’ closer to the camp departure date when we will have a more accurate number of participants.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss any particular requirements.
What Support Worker will be working with my child?
We have a very qualified team with Support Workers with a variety of skills and backgrounds in assisting youth with special needs and unique challenges.
After signing up, our local Program Coordinator will usually have a detailed discussion with you to better understand the needs of your participant in order to select the best ‘fit’ we think will work well for the camp!
We will send out a short ‘Staff Bio’ so you can learn more about your selected Support Worker, however, if you have any preferences/specific requirements or a participant that really needs to meet this person before the camp please let us know and we might be able organise a Pre-Camp Meet and Greet session.
What if my child seems to prefer another Support Worker on the team?
The beauty of our group style camp is that we often have the whole group interacting throughout the program, meaning that we all get a chance to work together with participants!
We have found that this usually allows participants to engage with the group and staff more organically while ensuring that individual needs and support ratios are being met throughout the program.
So, good news – they’ll be able to interact with all staff members and if they naturally gravitate towards one of our team members, then that is totally fine!
Can my child bring a device?
We generally prefer not to bring devices on camp *unless there is a specific need for it, in which case it’s fine.
We want to provide the best opportunity for face to face interaction with the group and usually most participants don’t need a device.
We are all about having the chance to experience the best of nature and these fantastic locations we are travelling to!
However, if your child relies on music or another device to help regulate, for example, please do not feel pressured to not bring it.
If you would like to discuss particular circumstances don’t hesitate to talk with the Program Coordinator during your Pre-camp Guardian Meeting.
Can my child bring money to spend?
We understand that we are going to special places and your child may want to buy a little souvenir.
It is fine for participants to bring a small amount of money on the program (no more than $20 please) as long as they are able to be responsible for it.
Our staff may assist at your request but this is brought at your own risk. We normally provide one or two opportunities for participants to purchase something from a key location we are going to 🙂
What if my child needs help at night?
We have a Night Duty staff member who is ready to help throughout the night. Yes – this means we have a staff available 24/7 throughout the entire camp.
This staff member can assist if participants wake up throughout the night, need assistance, or are just worried and need some help to get settled.
Our staff members are all on-site with the group and contactable if participants need specific assistance during the night.
Our staff are available 24/7 throughout the camp.
What if my child needs to come home during the Camp?
it’s more common than not, that campers may feel a little home sick on the first day – particularly if it is their first time away from home. This is totally natural and a great sign that they are stepping slightly outside of their comfort zone (where they’ll be able to grow the most).
We are generally able to communicate with them and encourage them to complete the program, and this could mean an encouraging phone call back home if really needed. It can be a positive challenge for the participants and we do our best to support them to accomplish this challenge.
Either way, we keep the lines of communication strong to let you know 🙂(if needed).
Sometimes there might be an unforeseen circumstance, someone might be unwell, or not able to complete the camp as it’s just a bit too much out of their comfort zone, depending on their unique challenges.
This is really rare, but we want to assure you that this is totally fine as well! In these situations, we expect an authorised guardian to pick up our young explorer from camp. So, if you are super hesitant and it’s the first ever night away from home, then it could be worthwhile starting with a camp that is close to home. This means you could even pop in if anxiety or other challenges become severe.
We often find that kids do just fine after day 1 nerves have settled, but it can also be totally nerve racking as a parent to be able to let go – that’s normal and to be expected, especially with young ones 🙂
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