What is the Child Care Subsidy?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps make early learning and childcare more accessible for Australian families. The Child Care Subsidy will be paid directly to your approved child care provider/s to reduce the fees you pay.
Childcare Subsidy Update July 2023
From the 10th of July 2023, childcare will be cheaper for most families! Click here to see the changes if you are looking to enroll, or are currently enrolled in one of our early learning centres across Sydney.
Check If You Are Eligible
Complete the activity test via the links below to see if you are eligible.
How does the Child Care Subsidy work?
The Child Care Subsidy will be paid directly to childcare providers to be passed on to families as a fee reduction. Families will contribute the difference between the provider fee charged and the subsidised amount. This is known as the families gap fee.
Calculate how much Child Care Subsidy your family could receive:
To calculate how much childcare subsidy you can receive at one of our daycare centres in Sydney, families can use the CCS Calculator at StartingBlocks.gov.au to estimate their childcare payments from 10 July 2023.
There are three things that will determine your level of subsidy:
Our Family Relations Team can help you calculate an estimate for your subsidy, contact us for more information.
Activity level of parents
The number of hours of subsidised care families can access will be determined by an activity test. The higher the level of activity, the more hours of subsidised care families can access, up to a maximum of 100 hours per fortnight.
Extra support
Some families can get Additional Child Care Subsidy. It will be paid 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.
FAQ's
- care for your child at least 2 nights per fortnight, or have 14% care
- are liable for fees for care provided at an approved child care service
- meet the residency rules. See further information here
- Your child must also meet immunisation requirements
- your family’s income
- the hours of activity you and your partner do
- the hourly rate cap based on the type of approved child care you use and your child’s age.
CCS claims can only be backdated up to 28 days. You can’t make a lump sum claim for CCS.
Complete the following steps to apply for Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Before you start, check if you are eligible to receive the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
Once a connection to Centrelink is made, you will receive notification to approve the enrolment notice. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.
Visit the enrolments tab in your Centrelink account to approve your child’s childcare details (i.e. the campus they are enrolled at, days they are enrolled and the daily rate)
Your family income |
Child Care Subsidy percentage |
$0 to $69,390 |
85% |
More than $69,390 to below $174,390 |
Between 85% and 50% The percentage goes down by 1% for every $3,000 of income your family earns |
$174,390 to below $253,680 |
50% |
$253,680 to below $343,680 |
Between 50% and 20% The percentage goes down by 1% for every $3,000 of income your family earns |
$343,680 to below $353,680 |
20% |
$353,680 or more |
Nil |
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We are thrilled to invite you to come and visit any of our 15 locations across
Sydney and see what centre suits you and your child best.