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The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps reduce the cost of childcare for eligible families with payments made directly to your childcare centre so you only pay the gap fee.
At Sparrow Early Learning, we understand how important it is for families to access this support. Below, you’ll find a simple guide to help you understand, calculate, and claim your CCS entitlements.
Powered by CCS API © Child Care Subsidy Calculator
The information provided in this calculator is indicative only. The weekly fee is an average of the fortnightly out of pocket fee. Please contact your local Service for an official quote.
Powered by CCS API © Child Care Subsidy Calculator
Eligibility Overview
How to Get Started
You can apply online through your myGov account linked to Centrelink. Have your birth certificate ready and follow the instructions below:
01.
Create a myGov account if you don’t already have one.
02.
Apply for your customer reference number (CRN) from Centrelink if you don’t already have one.
03.
Once signed in, go to: Centrelink > Payments and claims > Make a Claim > Families > Child Care Subsidy.
04.
Complete your Child Care Subsidy assessment, then make a claim. This can take up to 6 weeks.
05.
Once approved, you will receive a CRN for your child and the subsidy will be paid directly to your child care provider.
Australian Government Initiative
Universal access to early learning:
Every family, regardless of work or study hours, can access three days of subsidised care.
Cost-of-living relief:
Families can save thousands each year. For example, a family earning $90,000 could save over $11,000 annually.
Extra support for First Nations children:
Eligible families will continue to receive up to 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight.
Families with higher activity levels or special circumstances can still qualify for up to 100 hours of subsidised care, while those earning over $533,280 remain ineligible.
Helpful CCS Information
Our CCS calculator helps you understand what kind of subsidy you are eligible for. When you have chosen your local Sparrow Early Learning centre, our team will provide you with a documented subsidy to include with your enrolment application. Please ensure you reach out to your local centre to get an accurate fee estimate before beginning your enrolment process.
The Australian government provides a higher Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for families with multiple children aged 5 or younger in care. Some Sparrow Early Learning centres also offer a discount for multiple children enrolled at their specific centre, so please ensure you reach out to your preferred centre to get an accurate fee estimate.
You must meet the Australian residency rules and your child must be immunised, meet immunisation requirements and not be attending secondary school unless a valid exemption applies.
From January 2026, the Australian Government will make early learning more affordable for families with a new initiative called the 3 Day Guarantee.
This means every child in Australia will be able to attend up to 3 days of early learning each week with help from the Government to cover the cost – and families won’t need to meet any work or study requirements to qualify.
Families with higher activity levels or special circumstances can still qualify for up to 100 hours of subsidised care, while those earning over $533,280 remain ineligible.
Some families may be eligible for additional subsidy benefits. If you are eligible, you need to specify when applying for a subsidy. Eligibility criteria includes:
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