Your go to guide for making care more affordable this financial year.
Starting childcare is exciting, but navigating fees and government subsidies can feel overwhelming and confusing. To make your transition to childcare as easy and stress-free as possible, we’ve updated our popular CCS cheat sheet with all the key information that will apply from 7 July 2025 through 30 June 2026.
Payments, withholding & reconciliation
Your CCS is paid directly to your childcare provider. This means you’ll only ever pay your childcare provider the difference between your subsidy amount and the full fee.
That’s why it’s essential to apply for the Child Care Subsidy well before your child begins care. We recommend submitting your application at least two months in advance to allow time for approval and ensure your subsidy is in place from day one.
While your child can start care before your CCS is approved, please note that you will be responsible for paying full fees during this time. If you’re a new applicant, CCS can only be backdated up to 28 days from the date your application is submitted, and any back payments will be reimbursed to you directly, not to the centre.
The Australian Government will withhold 5% of your CCS entitlement before it is paid to your childcare provider. This is to reduce the likelihood of you incurring a debt by being overpaid your CCS entitlement.
Absences
You can claim CCS for up to 42 paid absence days per child, per financial year (public holidays, sickness, family reasons). Additional absences may be covered in special circumstances and require further evidence. Find out more on absences here.
Additional absence days can be paid by Centrelink, provided the circumstances meet those defined by the Family Assistance Law. Some of these include if the service is closed due to an emergency.
Additional ChildCareSubsidy (ACCS)
ACCS tops up CCS for families:
- Facing financial hardship
- Caring for a grandchild full time
- Transitioning to work from income support
- Where a child is vulnerable or at risk
Find the full list of circumstances for eligible ACCS here.
New to CCS? Here's a final checklist for you:
✔ Apply at least two months before the start date
✔ Update MyGov quickly if your income or activity changes
✔ Keep immunisations current and up to date
