Financial Support: How to get the most for your family

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) 

The CCS is a government subsidy that offers different levels of financial assistance to help cover the cost of childcare for Australian families. How much you receive depends on your individual circumstances.  

Read our blog ‘What is the Child Care Subsidy?’ to find out more. 

Additional Childcare Subsidy is Available for Families 

Depending on your circumstances, there may be government assistance your family is entitled to, over and above the Child Care Subsidy. 

If your income has been reduced or impacted by a significant event in your life, we encourage you to read on and find out what assistance you may be eligible for. You can also call our expert concierge team on  13 82 30 to discuss your individual situation, visit Services Australia, My Gov or head into your local Centrelink office. 

Extra support is available for: 

• Families experiencing temporary financial hardship 
• Parents transitioning back to work from income support 
• Grandparent carers on income support
• Caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse or neglect

Support for Families facing Temporary Financial Hardship 

The Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) Temporary Financial Hardship payment, in many cases, will cover the full fees charged by your child care Centre.  It is designed to support families experiencing significant financial stress due to exceptional circumstances, including job loss, caring for an ill loved one, or have recently lost a family member. 

If eligible, the additional support means there’s no need to interrupt your child’s learning and that we can continue to support your family with the care you’re used to when you need it most. This additional support is there to help families through difficult times – and to give you one less thing to worry about.

Financial Support for Families Returning to Work 

This additional payment is for those families who are currently receiving JobSeeker or Parenting Payments and who are training, re-skilling or returning to work. The subsidy will pay up to 95% of your childcare fees to help you get back to work or undertake study or training to help you find new work. The support can also continue for up to 26 weeks after your work begins. Families don’t need to use all 26 weeks consecutively. You can use it for shorter periods of time until you have accumulated 26 weeks. 

Financial Support for Grandparents 

This support is for grandparents on income support who are caring for a grandchild at least 65% of the time. Similar to the Temporary Financial Hardship Subsidy, this subsidy provides up to 100 hours of care a fortnight and is not subject to an activity test. 

How do I Apply for Additional Financial Support? 

You can apply online on the Services Australian website, via myGov, or in-person by visiting your local Centrelink office. 

We recommend you prepare your application with the following information to ensure the process is as fast and efficient as possible: 

• The event or incident that has led to financial hardship, e.g. losing a job, reduced income, family illness etc. 
• The date this event occurred 
• How has this affected your family’s ability to pay your childcare fees 
• In the case of the Transition to Work Subsidy, you will need to have a plan for what you want to do and when you plan to start. 

Our team is dedicated to delivering the best outcomes for our children and families – and this means more than just delivering great education and care. 

What do I need to do now?  

Next steps will depend on your individual circumstances. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Concierge Team on 1300 001 119. 

• Already receiving CCS?  You don’t need to do anything for your subsidy to continue, as long as you have remained eligible and enrolled.  
• If your circumstances have changed, you need to update Centrelink. For example, if your income level or contact information has changed, you should update your details with Centrelink as soon as possible. This can be done through your Centrelink online account through myGov or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. 
• New to childcare?  You should put in a claim for CCS as soon as possible. Otherwise, from 13 July 2020, you will need to pay full fees. In addition, claims for CCS can only be backdated for up to 28 days from the day the claim is lodged, so the sooner you act, the better it will be for your back pocket. 
• Additional Child Care Subsidy: Where there is more than one child in care, the oldest child would receive the standard subsidy as per the above table. The second and any younger children may be eligible for a subsidy that is 30% higher than the standard subsidy.
• Can you lose your CCS? From 11 July 2022, a new rule has been put into place that means that if a child has not used care in the past 26 weeks, they will no longer be eligible for CCS. Affected families will need to re-apply. Services Australia has advised any affected families of this. This may also impact families who are achieving higher CCS where they have multiple eligible children.  

Want to see if you’re eligible for any of these payments?  

To discuss your individual circumstances, speak to your Centre Manager, head to the My Gov website or contact our Concierge Team on 13 82 30. 

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