Early childhood education and care costs

Child Care Subsidy

The Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to your early childhood education and care service to reduce the fees you pay.

The amount depends on:

• how much work or recognised activity you and your partner do each fortnight
• your combined family income
• the fees you pay.

Your child will have to meet immunisation requirements to get this payment.

Claims can only be backdated up to 28 days, they cannot be claimed as a lump sum.

Remember to update your details if your family situation changes, including changes to your income, activity levels or relationship status.

Absence days

You can still get paid the Child Care Subsidy if you’re charged for a day when your child does not attend. These are called absence days.

You can claim up to 42 absence days in a financial year. They can be for any reason and you do not need documentation. In some situations, you may be able to claim more than 42 days.

Your enrolment will be cancelled and you’ll stop getting the Child Care Subsidy if:

• your child does not attend for 14 weeks in a row, or
• your service reports that your child is no longer attending.

Learn more about how absence days affects the Child Care Subsidy at Services Australia.

Additional Child Care Subsidy

The Additional Child Care Subsidy is an extra payment that helps some families with the cost of approved early childhood education and care.

To get this payment:

• you must be eligible for and claiming the Child Care Subsidy
• your child will have to meet immunisation requirements to get this payment

You will also need to meet extra criteria, depending on the type of Additional Child Care Subsidy you apply for:

• grandparent
• transition to work
• temporary financial hardship
• child wellbeing.