Child Care Subsidy

Child Care Subsidy at Early Education and OSHC Services

In order to receive subsidies, families need to ensure that they provide the necessary information to the Y Ballarat and take the appropriate actions through their myGov account.

Early Education Centre and Outside School Hours Care CCS

Childcare Subsidy (CCS) enables families attending an Early Education Centre to receive a discount directly off the daily service fee. The amount of subsidy families will receive is based on three things.

1. Their combined family income
2. The level of ‘approved’ activity they undertake
3. The type of childcare service they use.

If your child attends the service on a:

• Casual capacity you will need to tick and confirm “Casual” on your myGov.
• Permanent capacity you will need to tick and confirm “Routine” and “Casual” on your myGov.

As Y Ballarat services are approved for CCS, please ensure you provide us with your CRN number and both the date of birth of your child/ren and the parent/guardian who receives CCS.

Families will receive their Child Care Subsidy (CCS) off the fee once they approve their booking through their myGov account. It is important that families approve their attendances, as you will not receive or be backdated any CCS for any days that are attended before this approval occurs.

Changes to income

Services Australia sends our service updated listings via internet connection every day; however, the contract remains between Services Australia and individual families. It is therefore your responsibility to notify Centrelink of any changes to your income.

CCS is changing in July 2023

From 10 July 2023, there will be increases to the family income limits for CCS eligibility and also the subsidy percentages.
Find out more here.

Find out more here Absences and non-attendance

If your child does not attend or is absent for periods of time, this can impact on the CCS you receive. Please note:

• CCS is not applied to days of absence which are at the start and end of a booking pattern.
• Your child can be absent for up to 42 days (allowable absences) where CCS will still be paid. For any absences after this, no CCS will be applied to your fees. (ie you will have to pay full fees for these days).
• If your child does not attend for 14 weeks in a row, the enrolment will end and your child will need to be re-enrolled.
• If your child hasn’t used childcare at least once in the previous 26 weeks, your eligibility for Child Care Subsidy for this child will stop. You will need to reapply.

Additional Child Care Subsidy

Some families may be eligible for an additional subsidy to reduce the overall cost of childcare in an approved service. To receive this, you must be eligible for Child Care Subsidy, and you need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• an eligible grandparent getting an income support payment
• transitioning from certain income support payments to work
• experiencing temporary financial hardship
• caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect

The Y Ballarat directs all queries regarding grandparent, transitioning and temporary hardship to Services Australia for assessment. The provider may claim on behalf of the family for cases where there is a vulnerable or at-risk child involved. The Y Ballarat collects, and documents all required information to support the claim prior to processing the application.

You can estimate your subsidy here> Child Care Subsidy Estimator