Subsidised fees at Discover Early Learning.
Let us help you navigate the CCS process so you can focus on what matters most — your child’s growth, learning, and happiness.
As a government-approved childcare provider, you may be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), which can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket fees. We know the subsidy process can seem a little overwhelming, so we're here to help guide you.
About the CCS
The Child Care Subsidy is designed to make high-quality, flexible care more accessible for low- and middle-income families. By reducing the cost of childcare, the government helps ensure that more children can benefit from early learning, so parents and carers can work or study.
How it works
Once you’re signed up and approved to receive CCS, Centrelink will pay your subsidy directly to Discover Early Learning. Then, we pass them to you in the form of a fee reduction. You only pay the difference between the subsidy and the fees charged.
Let’s look at a few examples.
Every family’s situation is different. We’re here to help you understand what support you can receive. Let’s look at three different examples.
- The Stewart family earns $75,000 a year. They’re eligible for a 90% subsidy, meaning the government covers most of their childcare fees (up to the hourly cap), and they pay just 10%.
- The Nguyen family earns $100,000 a year. Their subsidy is 86%, so they pay only 14% of their childcare fees. As their income increases, the subsidy will reduce slightly for every $5,000 they earn.
- The Patel family earns $540,000 a year. Because their income is over the limit, they are not eligible for the subsidy and would pay the full childcare fees.
Child Care Subsidy FAQs.
Who is eligible for the Child Care Subsidy?
You may be eligible for CCS if you:
- Care for your child at least two nights per fortnight (or have at least 14% care).
- Pay for childcare at an approved service (like ours!).
- Live in Australia and meet basic residency requirements (citizenship or certain visas).
- Your child needs to be up to date with immunisations (or have an approved exemption).
Please not that if your child doesn’t attend care at least once in 26 weeks, your CCS will stop — this is automatically done by Centrelink and out of our control. But don’t worry, if your child comes back to care later, you can simply make a new claim to start receiving the subsidy again.
How much Child Care Subsidy can I receive?
The CCS you receive depends on a few factors:
- Your combined family income. This determines what percentage of your childcare fees the government will cover.
- The number of children under 5 you have in care. Families with more than one child aged under 5 may be eligible for a higher subsidy for their younger children.
- Your level of activity. This is called the Activity Test (see next FAQ) — the more hours you work, study, or volunteer, the more hours of subsidised care you may be entitled to.
- A childcare provider’s hourly rate. Subsidy amounts are calculated based on provider fees, up to a government-set hourly rate cap.
What is the Activity Test and how does it work?
The number of subsidised childcare hours you can receive each fortnight depends on how much recognised activity you do (work, study, or volunteering). The more activity you do, the more subsidised hours you're entitled to!
Both parents’ activity levels are considered. The government uses the lower activity level to decide how many subsidised hours your family will receive. Some parents may be eligible for exemptions, especially in special circumstances.
- Less than 8 hours a fortnight. The Smith family earns over $83,280, so they receive 0 subsidised hours per fortnight, per child. The Lee family earns under $83,280, so they receive 24 subsidised hours per fortnight, per child.
- 8 to 16 hours a fortnight. The Patel family works 12 hours a fortnight and receives 36 subsidised hours per fortnight, per child.
- More than 16 to 48 hours a fortnight. The Nguyen family does 30 hours of activity and receives 72 subsidised hours per fortnight, per child.
- More than 48 hours a fortnight. The Stewart family works full-time, doing 50+ hours, so they receive the full 100 subsidised hours per fortnight, per child.
Will I get a higher subsidy if I have multiple in care?
Most likely, yes! If you have more than one child under 5 in care, you could receive a higher subsidy for your second and younger children.
Eligible younger children receive an extra 30% subsidy, up to a maximum of 95%. For example, if your standard subsidy is 60% for your first child, your second child could receive 90%. This also applied to twins —one of them will receive the higher subsidy.
What is the Child Care Subsidy hourly rate cap?
The rate cap isn’t really something you need to worry about, but some families find this info helpful juts for a bit more CCS context.
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) hourly rate cap is the maximum amount per hour that the government will subsidise. It’s basically a limit on how much the subsidy will cover, no matter what your childcare centre charges.
For example: If the hourly rate cap is $12.31 for centre-based care, the government will calculate your subsidy based on that amount, even if your centre charges more. If your childcare provider charges $13.50 per hour, the government will still only subsidise a percentage of $12.31, not the full $13.50. The rest (the gap) is what you pay out of pocket.
Am I eligible for the Additional Child Care Subsidy?
While the CCS is the main support available, some families may also qualify for Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS). This provides extra help in certain situations. You might be eligible for ACCS if you are:
- A grandparent who is the primary carer of your grandchild.
- Returning to work, studying, or training after a period away (this can give you extra support while you transition).
- Going through temporary financial hardship, such as a sudden loss of income or unexpected life event.
- Caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.
If any of these apply to you, you could receive more financial support to help with your childcare costs.
