Child Care Subsidy is a service provided by the Australian Government that helps families and provides them with assistance for the cost of child care.

The Child Care Subsidy that commence on 2 July 2018:

• replaced the Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR) with a single, means-tested subsidy;
• is generally paid directly to child care providers to be passed on to families;
• is simpler than the previous multi-payment system and
• is better targeted and provides more assistance to low and middle income families.

To learn more details about the Government’s Child Care Subsidy – click here.

To be eligible for Child Care Subsidy for child care you (for example, as parent or guardian) must:

• Care for a child 13 or younger and not attending secondary school, unless an exemption applies;
• Use an approved child care service;
• Responsible for paying the child care fees and
• Meet residency and immunisation requirement

The amount of Child Care Subsidy you can get depends on your circumstances. To work out how much Child Care Subsidy you’re eligible for the following are looked at:

• Your family’s income;
• The hourly rate cap based on the type of approved child care you use and your child’s age and
• The hours of activity you and your partner do

The amount of subsidised child care you can access per fortnight applies to each child.

Some families can get Additional Child Care Subsidy. We pay it on top of Child Care Subsidy to provide extra support with child care fees.

There are 3 different types of Additional Child Care Subsidy that you can apply for. You can apply if you’re either

• A grandparent;
• Transitioning to work
• Experiencing temporary financial hardship