Government Subsidies

 

Child Care Subsidy - Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

Get ready for the new Child Care Subsidy. Get online now.

 

From 2 July 2018, the child care fee assistance your family receives will change.

 

Your information does not automatically rollover to the new system.

 

Login now to complete your online form now through myGov.

 

Learn more about the new subsidy and how to transition.

 

Estimate what your new Child Care Subsidy might be, go to the Payment and Services Finder.

 

Transitioning to the new Child Care Subsidy

 

From 2 July 2018, one new Child Care Subsidy will replace the two current child care payments.

 

This transition cannot happen automatically.

 

To transition, you will need to complete an online Child Care Subsidy assessment using your Centrelink online account through myGov.

 

You will be asked to provide some new information and confirm your current details, including:

  1. Combined family income
  2. Activity level of parents
  3. Type of child care service

 

Throughout April 2018, Centrelink will be writing to all families currently receiving Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate with instructions on completing their online assessment through myGov.

 

If families do not complete their assessment before 2 July 2018, they may not receive any child care fee assistance.

 

Child Care Subsidy

 

The Package includes a new Child Care Subsidy, which replaces the current Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate. The Child Care Subsidy will be paid directly to services.

 

There are also changes to the annual cap which will make child care more affordable for most families.

 

Three things will determine a family’s level of Child Care Subsidy:

  • A family’s income will determine the percentage of subsidy they are eligible for
  • An activity test will determine how many hours of subsidised care families can access, up to a maximum of 100 per fortnight, and
  • The type of child care service will determine the hourly rate cap.

 

More information about individual subsidy rates and annual cap changes is available in the New Child Care Package brochure.

 

Some basic requirements must be satisfied for an individual to be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy for a child. These include:

  • the age of the child (must be 13 or under and not attending secondary school)
  • the child meeting immunisation requirements
  • the individual, or their partner, meeting the residency requirements.

 

Using myGov

Step 1. Sign in to your myGov account. If you don’t have one, you will need to create a myGov account.

Step 2. Link myGov to Centrelink. You can do this under Services.

Step 3. Select Centrelink and complete the Child Care Subsidy Assessment.

 

The Child Care Safety Net

 

The Package includes a $1.2 billion Safety Net to give the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, as well as those from regional and remote communities, a strong start through access to quality early learning and child care.

 

Learn More

 

Estimate what your new Child Care Subsidy might be, go to the Payment and Services Finder.

 

Resources

 

Family Webcast Information Sessions

 

The Department of Education and Training is hosting three Family Webcast Information Sessions to help families understand what they need to do to transition to the Child Care Subsidy and learn more about the New Child Care Package starting on 2 July 2018.

 

Families are encouraged to participate in one of the free online sessions. The sessions will step families through the information they need to provide through myGov to transition and learn more about the New Child Care Package.

 

Families will be able to ask questions or submit comments through the live chat functionality, during the question and answer session.

 

The sessions will be held at the following times:

  • Thursday 19 April 2018 - 7.00pm - 8.30pm AEST
  • Thursday 3 May 2018 - 2.30pm - 4.00pm AEST
  • Tuesday 15 May 2018 - 8.00pm - 9.30pm AEST

 

Please register your interest if you would like to participate

 

More information

 

More information about child care can be found on the Department of Education and Training website.

 

Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS)

The Inclusion Support Programme (ISP) assists education and care services to include children with additional needs alongside their peers.

An Inclusion Agency in each state and territory is available to help services provide a quality inclusive environment for children with additional needs, including children with disability, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children from a refugee background and Indigenous children. The Inclusion Agencies assist eligible services to build their capacity to provide and embed inclusive practice into their delivery of early learning programs.

 

WA ISP for Families: HERE