What is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is a government initiative designed to help families manage the cost of child care.
It provides financial support by reducing the fees you pay for approved childcare services, including Early Learning Centres, Occasional Care, Before and After School Care, and Vacation Care.
The subsidy is paid directly to child care providers, so you only pay the gap between the provider’s fees and the subsidy amount. This makes quality care more affordable and accessible, allowing parents and carers to work, study, or participate in other activities.
​
To learn more about how the CCS can support your family, keep reading or visit Services Australia.
Am I eligible for CCS?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is available to families who meet specific requirements.
To qualify, you must:
-
Care for a child who is 13 years of age or younger and not attending secondary school (some exceptions may apply).
-
Use an approved child care provider, such as Occasional Care, Before and After School Care, or Vacation Care.
-
Meet residency requirements, which generally means you or your partner are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident, or hold an eligible visa.
-
Ensure your child meets immunisation requirements, which include being up-to-date with all vaccinations as per the National Immunisation Program Schedule or having an approved exemption.
-
Meet the income and activity requirements: Your family income determines the percentage of the subsidy you are eligible to receive, and the number of subsidised hours depends on your and your partner’s participation in work, study, volunteering, or other approved activities.
Residency Rules
To be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), you or your partner must live in Australia and meet one of the following residency conditions:
-
Be an Australian citizen.
-
Hold a permanent visa.
-
Hold a Special Category visa.
-
Have a temporary visa, such as a partner provisional or temporary protection visa.
​
You may still meet the residency requirements in special cases, such as:
-
Being part of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme (family accompaniment initiative).
-
Receiving Australian Government financial assistance as an overseas student.
-
Experiencing hardship or special circumstances.
​
To continue receiving CCS, you or your partner must maintain these residency rules.
If you're unsure whether you qualify, visit the Services Australia website for detailed information.
Immunisation Requirements
To receive the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), your child must meet the immunisation requirements.
This ensures children are protected against preventable diseases as outlined by the Department of Health and Aged Care’s guidelines.
Your child must do one of the following to meet the requirements:
-
Be up to date with the National Immunisation Program Schedule.
-
Be on an approved catch-up schedule as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
-
Have an approved medical exemption recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
You don’t need to report your child’s immunisation status directly to Services Australia. This information is automatically updated by your vaccination provider on the AIR. If your child was vaccinated overseas, you’ll need to provide proof to an Australian vaccination provider to have their records added to the AIR. If your child falls behind on vaccinations, consult your doctor or a health clinic to arrange a catch-up schedule.
​
To learn more about immunisation requirements, visit the Services Australia website.
How much CCS can I get?
The amount of Child Care Subsidy (CCS) your family is eligible for depends on several factors. These include:
-
your family’s income,
-
the type of childcare your child uses and their age,
-
the number of hours of activity you and your partner do, and
-
the number of children in your care.
​
Here’s an overview to help you understand how CCS can reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
How does my family's income determine my CCS percentage?
The CCS percentage is the amount the government contributes toward your child care fees.
This percentage depends on your family’s combined annual income.
Family's Combined Annual Income | Child Care Subsidy Percentage |
|---|---|
$533,280 or more | 0% |
More than $83,280 to below $533,280 | Between 90% and 0%
The percentage goes down by 1% for every $5,000 of income your family earns above $83,280 |
$0 to $83,280 | 90% |
Centrelink withholds 5% of your subsidy to reduce the risk of overpayment. This amount is balanced at the end of the financial year when your income is confirmed.
​
Want to estimate your subsidy? Use our CCS Calculator to find out how much you could save.
Hourly rate cap: How does the type of child care and my child's age affect my CCS?
The amount of Child Care Subsidy (CCS) you can receive depends on the type of approved child care your child attends and their age, as different care types and age groups have specific caps.
Your CCS percentage is applied to the lower amount of either the hourly rate cap or the fee charged by your child care provider.
Type of child care | Hourly rate cap for children below school age | Hourly rate cap for children above school age |
|---|---|---|
Centre Based Day Care - long day care and occasional care | $14.29 | $12.51 |
Outside School Hours Care - before, after and vacation care | $14.29 | $12.51 |
Family Day Care | $13.24 | $13.24 |
In Home Care | $38.87 per family | $38.87 per family |
A child below school age is a child who is not attending school and is younger than 6 years old.
A child above school age is a child who is either in school, including being home schooled, or aged 6 years or older.
Activity levels: How do the hours I work, study, or volunteer affect my CCS?
The number of subsidised hours you can access is based on the amount of recognised activity you and your partner do each fortnight. Activities include work, study, volunteering, paid or unpaid leave (including parental leave), unpaid work in a family business, actively looking for work, and other activities on a case-by-case basis.
Generally, the more hours of activity you do, the more hours of subsidised care you can access.
​
If you have a partner, your subsidised child care hours are based on the lower activity level between you and your partner, with the same hours applying to each child in your care. There are four activity levels used to determine your subsidy.
Activity level each fortnight | Hours of subsidised care each fortnight |
|---|---|
Less than 8 hours | 0 hours if you earn above $83,280; or 24 hours if you earn $83,280 or below |
More than 8 to 16 hours | 36 hours |
More than 16 to 48 hours | 72 hours |
More than 48 hours | 100 hours |
Special Provisions for CCS Hours
Some families and circumstances qualify for special provisions regarding subsidised child care hours:
-
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are entitled to 36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, regardless of their family’s activity level.
-
Children in early education programs, such as preschool or kindergarten, in the year before starting primary school can access 36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight if they attend a centre-based day care service (long day care or occasional care).
-
Families who qualify for an activity exemption may receive up to 100 hours of subsidised care per child per fortnight.
For more details about the exemption from the Child Care Subsidy activity levels, visit the Services Australia website.
How does the number of children I have in childcare affect my CCS?
If your family has more than one child aged 5 or younger enrolled with an approved child care provider, you may qualify for a higher CCS percentage for your younger child or children. Your eldest eligible child (the ‘standard rate child’) will receive the regular CCS percentage, while younger eligible children (the ‘higher rate children’) may receive a higher subsidy.
​
This additional support helps families manage the cost of care for multiple children and is automatically applied to your CCS calculation. No extra steps are needed.
​
For more details about the higher CCS rates, visit the Services Australia website.
How do absences affect my CCS?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) may still apply if your child is absent from care on days they are normally booked to attend
​
Allowable Absences
You are entitled to up to 42 allowable absence days per child each financial year. These can be used for any reason, including holidays or sick days, without needing to provide evidence.
​
Additional Absences
If you exceed the 42-day limit, you may be eligible for extra absences in specific circumstances, such as illness, court-ordered arrangements, or emergencies. Supporting documents may be required.
It’s important to notify your child care provider about any absences to ensure they are recorded correctly. CCS generally does not cover absences before your child’s first physical attendance or after their last day, unless an approved reason applies.
For more details about absences and how they affect your CCS, visit the Services Australia website.
How do I claim CCS?
To claim the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), follow these steps:
-
Create a MyGov Account
If you don’t already have one, create a MyGov account and link it to Centrelink. -
Submit Your Claim
Log in to your MyGov account, go to Centrelink, and follow the prompts to apply for CCS. Be ready to provide:-
Details about your family’s income and activity levels.
-
Your child’s enrolment details with an approved child care provider.
-
Proof of your child’s immunisation status (linked via Medicare).
-
-
Await Approval
Centrelink will review your claim and notify you of the outcome. You’ll receive information about your approved CCS percentage and hours of subsidised care. -
Confirm Enrolment
Once approved, confirm your child’s enrolment with your childcare provider to have the subsidy applied to your fees.
​
For a detailed step-by-step guide, visit the Services Australia website.
​
Once you are receiving CCS, it is important to update Centrelink if your circumstances change, such as your income, activity levels, or care arrangements, to ensure your subsidy remains accurate.
Additional Fee Relief with Start Strong
If your child will be at least 3 years old on or before 31 July 2025 and enrolled in an eligible long day care or occasional care centre, you may be eligible for Start Strong Preschool Fee Relief to help reduce your out-of-pocket costs, even if you are not eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Learn more about Start Strong here.
This page was last updated on 16 December 2024. Any changes to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) after this date may not be reflected here. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Services Australia website.