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Child Care Subsidy – CCS

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for in home care

In order to be suitable to receive in home care, one requirement is that you are eligible for the child care subsidy (CCS). This is a payment made directly to your child care provider, to reduce the amount of fees you have to pay.

Who is suitable for Child Care Subsidy?

Your suitability for the child care subsidy depends on your circumstances. You might be eligible for the CCS for in home care if you or your partner meet all of the following criteria:

  • You meet the residency rules – this means you live in Australia and have Australian citizenship or one of the accepted types of visa.
  • You currently have to pay fees to an approved provider for your child’s care.
  • You have 14 percent care or care for your child at least two nights per fortnight.

There are also certain conditions for your child to meet. In most cases, they shouldn’t be attending secondary school, although there are exceptions to this. If your child is aged 13 or under and needs supervision, you might be suitable for child care subsidy if you can provide evidence stating why your child needs to be supervised. 14- to 18-year-olds with a disability may also be suitable.

In addition, your child will need to meet the immunisation requirements.

How much CCS can you get for In Home Care?

All families are different, so the amount of CCS you can claim will depend on your circumstances. A number of different criteria are taken into account including:

  • How much income your family has
  • The number of hours of recognised activity you and your partner do (these activities cover employment, education, looking for work, volunteering, and more, and are assessed by the Australian Department of Human Services (ADHS))
  • The age of your child
  • The type of child care you use

How can you claim CCS for in home care?

There are two ways you can claim your child care subsidy:

  • Online – in order to do this, you will need a myGov account connected to Centrelink
  • By phone – you can call the Families Line between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday

You may need to provide some supporting documents relating to your claim, including information about your finances, living arrangements, work, and other topics relating to the child care you need. You will be told when you make your claim what supporting documents you need to provide.

If you have made your claim online, you can track it using Centrelink. You will be notified either via your myGov account or by post, to let you know if your claim is successful.

You will need to make a new claim for each child when they start in home care.

How can you manage your child care subsidy payments?

If you receive CCS for in home care, it is important to keep your information up to date. You have to let Centrelink know if there are any changes to your circumstances, such as:

  • Your family’s income
  • Your activity levels or those of your partner (employment, education, seeking work, volunteering, or other activities, as recognised by the ADHS)
  • Your relationship status
  • Any other changes to your circumstances or those of your partner

It is essential that you provide the right information so you can receive the correct amount of child care subsidy.

More information about Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

If you think you might be suitable for CCS for in home care, and you would like more information or advice, the in home Care Support Agency is always here to help. Please contact our team, and we will be happy to answer your questions and give you the support you need.