Child Care Subsidy
Helping you save on your childcare
What is the Child Care Subsidy?
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) scheme is an initiative organised by the Australian government to assist families using government-approved childcare.
Every family must apply via Services Australia to have access to CCS. Once approved, you will receive a CCS entitlement.
To find out your possible maximum CCS entitlement, we recommend getting your CCS calculated by the Starting Blocks CCS Calculator.
the two types of child care subsidy (CCS)
child care subsidy (CCS)
The amount of CCS you are entitled to depends on:
- Your family’s combined income
- The Type of child care service you use
- Your child’s age
- The hours of recognised activities you and your partner do such as studies or work.
Additional child care subsidy (ACCS)
On top of CCS, you can be entitled to ACCS if you are one of the following:
- A Grandparent
- Transitioning from income support payments to employment
- Experiencing temporary financial hardship
- Caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.
How to apply for child care subsidy (CCS)
1. Create a MyGov account.
2. Set up and link your Centrelink to your MyGov account.
3. Make a Child Care Subsidy Claim through your linked Centrelink account. Open the menu and
select Make A Claim > Families to access the application.
4. After you have successfully submitted your Child Care Subsidy claim, confirm your Activity Hours through
My Family > Child care > Activity test.
5. Enrol and book your children into an Extend service via our online booking platform: LookedAfter.
Make sure to supply Extend with your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) when enrolling your children.
6. Once you have booked your first session, you will be notified by the government to confirm your enrolment for
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) via your linked Centrelink account.
You can apply for the Child Care Subsidy before booking with Extend Before & After School Care to ensure you recieve your full CCS entitlment before your first billing cycle.
the Need-to-know on Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
Am i eligible for cCS?
Families eligible for Child Care Subsidy must suit the following criteria:
- Your children must be 13 or younger, and not attending secondary school— exemptions apply
- You must care for your child(ren) at least 2 nights per fortnight, or have 14% care
- You or your partner must be responsible for your childcare fees
- Your childcare provider must be approved to process Child Care Subsidy
- Your child must meet Service Australia’s immunisation requirements
- You or your partner must meet Service Australia’s residence rules.
What would make me ineligible for CCS?
You may find that you are not eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy if you meet the following criteria:
- Your family’s combined income is $533,280 or more (threshold as of March 2025)
- You do not meet Service Australia’s residence rules
- Your children are attending secondary school
- Your childcare provider is not approved to process Child Care Subsidy
- You or your partner’s activities are not recognised by Services Australia— see types of recognised activities.
How do I recieve cCS?
Once you have been approved for the Child Care Subsidy Scheme, all Child Care Subsidy payments will be made directly to your chosen childcare provider.
If you are enrolled with Extend, your Child Care Subsidy payment will be reflected during the billing process.
Will I still get CCS if my child misses a day of childcare?
Families are given 42 days of allowable absences per child per financial year, which can be used for any reason. This is tracked on your MyGov account.
If your child has hit their absence limit for the financial year, you can apply for additional absence if your child meets certain conditions.
If your child is absent, you will only need to pay the fee not covered by Child Care Subsidy.
If your child is absent for the first or last day of physically attending child care, your fees may not be subsidised unless a suitable reason is supplied within 7 days.
To learn more about allowable absences and a full list of conditions, please visit the Services Australia website.
How is CCS calculated?
Child Care Subsidy is calculated based on the following:
- Your family’s combined income
- The type of childcare service you use
- Your child’s age
- The hours of recognised activities you and your partner do such as studies or work.
Your Child Care provider has no influence over your CCS calculation. It’s the role of the Federal Government to assess your eligibility and calculate your CCS. For queries on your subsidy level, contact Services Australia.
Can my CCS entitlement change?
You may notice a change in your Child Care Subsidy entitlement under the following circumstances:
- Your family’s combined income has changed: Your CCS entitlement decreases by 1% for every $5,000 of income your family earns
- Changing the number of hours your children require childcare
- Changes to the number of activity hours you and your partner do
- Changes to the number of children in your care
- Changing the type of care your children receive (for example: switching from Long Day Care to After School Care).
Where can I find out more about CCS?
To find out more about the Child Care Subsidy, visit Services Australia.