What You Need to Know
The Commonwealth Government Child Care Subsidy (CSS) makes accessing high-quality early education easy and more affordable for families.
Knowing how to get the most out of the subsidy means maximizing the amount of time your child can spend in care, which supports vital learning and development.
But understanding the system and accessing your entitlements through the Child Care Subsidy, shouldn’t feel like you need a degree in accounting.
We’re here to help.
The Child Care Subsidy is a financial assistance to cover the cost of child care. It is a child care benefit to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for families accessing early childhood education and care services.
How much you receive depends on a number of factors, including your family’s income, the age of your child, and the paid and unpaid activities, like your job or volunteer work, your family is involved in.
Extra support is available for some families, such as grandparents and great grandparents, and families experiencing temporary financial hardship.
Rather than families receiving a child care rebate directly, the CSS is paid directly to providers to reduce the child care fees you pay.
CCS FAQs
Find answers to common questions about the Child Care Subsidy, including eligibility, application process, payment rates, income thresholds, and family benefits.
Who can get the child care subsidy?
To get the CCS you must:
- care for a child 13 or younger who’s not attending secondary school, unless an exemption applies
- use an approved child care service
- be responsible for paying the child care fees
- meet residency and immunisation requirements
How much can I claim?
Your CCS is calculated using three components:
- Your combined family income
- Your level of activity, such as work, education, or volunteering.
- Your childcare provider’s hourly rate
Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to receive up to 90% of your child care fees covered by the Child Care Subsidy. The more activities you engage in, and the lower your family’s income, the higher your entitlement could be.
It can be a little complicated … including when you have more than one child in care. So, we made it easy for you to understand how much of the child care benefit you might be eligible for with a simple Child Care Subsidy Calculator.
How do I apply for the Child Care Subsidy?
You apply for the CCS online using your Services Australia or MyGov account.
You can use the Services Australia eligibility tool to guide you through the process of applying for a new childcare subsidy and more information about eligibility criteria can be found on the Services Australia website
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children may be able to access CCS without the activity test. Visit the Services Australia website to find out more.
The best way to learn more about subsidised child care is to come into our Centre and speak to a member of our team. We’d love to help you and we can show you how we can support your child to grow and thrive.