The Australian Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a government initiative designed to make early childhood education more affordable for families. It provides financial assistance to help cover the cost of approved child care services, including long day care, family day care, and outside school hours care.

By reducing out-of-pocket expenses, the CCS helps families access quality early learning opportunities while supporting parents in balancing work and family life.

Families qualify for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) based on three key factors:

– The amount of subsidy a family receives is determined by their combined annual income. Lower-income families receive a higher percentage of subsidy.

– Parents or guardians must engage in approved activities such as work, study, training, or volunteering. The number of activity hours determines the subsidiSed child care hours.

– The child must attend an approved child care service, and the subsidy is calculated based on the hourly fee charged and the government's set hourly rate cap.

Meeting these criteria ensures families receive financial support to make child care more affordable.

Families can apply for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) through myGov by linking their account to Centrelink and following these steps:

– Log in and navigate to the Centrelink section.

– Select ‘Make a Claim’ and choose ‘Child Care Subsidy.’

– Enter household income, work or study details, and child care provider information.

– Once approved, families must confirm their child’s enrolment details through myGov or with their child care provider.

– The subsidy is paid directly to the child care provider, reducing out-of-pocket costs.

For assistance, Infinite Early Learning can help guide families through the application process to ensure they receive their maximum entitlements.

The amount of Child Care Subsidy (CCS) a family can receive depends on three main factors:

– The subsidy percentage is based on a family’s combined annual income. Lower-income families receive a higher percentage of support, with subsidies ranging from up to 90% for low-income households to 0% for higher-income thresholds.

– The number of subsidised hours depends on how many hours parents engage in approved activities (e.g., work, study, or volunteering). More activity hours mean more subsidised care hours.

– The subsidy covers a percentage of child care fees, but only up to the government’s hourly rate cap. If a provider charges above this cap, families must pay the difference.

Infinite Early Learning can help parents understand how these factors apply to them and ensure they receive the maximum subsidy available.

To check your eligibility head to Australian Government’s Services Australia website or contact us For assistance.