The 3-Day Guarantee Explained. What Actually Changes for Gold Coast Families in 2026.
A rule change that came into effect on 5 January 2026 means Gold Coast families can access subsidised childcare three days a week — without proving they work, study, or volunteer a single hour.
5 min read
Updated April 2026
72subsidised hours per fortnight — guaranteed
~$39est. weekly cost for 3 days (family on $80K, Gold Coast avg fee)
$17K+potential annual saving vs. full fees, same family
If you've been putting off childcare because the cost felt out of reach — or because you weren't working enough hours to qualify for a meaningful subsidy — this one's worth reading carefully. The 3-Day Guarantee is the biggest structural shift to childcare subsidies since 2018. It doesn't just tweak the numbers. It changes who can access affordable care entirely.
What is the 3-Day Guarantee, exactly?
Put simply: from 5 January 2026, every family that is eligible for the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is guaranteed a minimum of 72 subsidised hours of childcare per fortnight — no questions asked about whether you work, study, train, or volunteer.
Before this change, the Activity Test determined how many subsidised hours you could access. Families who weren't working enough were capped at just 24 subsidised hours per fortnight — three days worth of care, but paid at rates with minimal subsidy beyond that lower tier.
The 3-Day Guarantee removes that floor for the first 72 hours. You get them automatically. If you work more, your entitlement can still increase above that — but those three days are locked in regardless.
Play-based learning at Little Scholars — where every day builds something that lasts.
The key change in one sentence
Before 5 January 2026, low-activity families could only access 24 subsidised hours per fortnight. Now every eligible family gets at least 72 — triple the previous minimum.
Who qualifies?
The 3-Day Guarantee applies to you if you're already eligible for the Child Care Subsidy. That means meeting the standard CCS criteria:
Australian residency
You or your child must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or holder of a specified visa.
Immunisation
Your child must be up to date on the Australian Immunisation Register (or hold an approved exemption).
Approved care service
Your child attends an approved provider like Little Scholars. All 17 of our campuses qualify.
If you're already receiving CCS, the 3-Day Guarantee applied to your account automatically from 5 January 2026 — no new application required. If you haven't yet applied for CCS, you'll need to do that through myGov before the subsidy kicks in.
What does it actually cost? The Gold Coast numbers.
The Gold Coast average daily childcare fee sits at around $131 per day, based on CareforKids data. Here's what three days per week looks like at different income levels under 2025–26 CCS rates.
Household Income
CCS Rate
Govt pays (per day)
You pay (per day)
Your cost: 3 days/wk
Up to $83,280
90%
~$117.90
~$13.10
~$39/wk
$100,000
~80%
~$104.80
~$26.20
~$79/wk
$130,000
~65%
~$85.15
~$45.85
~$138/wk
$160,000
~50%
~$65.50
~$65.50
~$197/wk
Above $530,000
0%
$0
$131.00
$393/wk
Estimates based on Gold Coast avg daily fee of $131 and 2025–26 CCS rates. Get a personalised figure → use our CCS Calculator
More than subsidy. It's access.
For a family on $80,000 choosing three days of care, the difference between the old system and the 3-Day Guarantee can be more than $17,000 per year in subsidised hours they previously couldn't access without meeting the Activity Test.
That's the part worth sitting with. Not just a reduction in what you pay per day — but access to days of care that simply weren't available to you before, at meaningful subsidy rates.
What happens if you do work or study?
The Activity Test hasn't been scrapped — it's still relevant if you want more than 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. Think of the 3-Day Guarantee as a floor, not a ceiling.
Activity Test tiers from 5 January 2026
0–7 hours of activity per fortnight → 72 subsidised hours guaranteed (the 3-Day Guarantee)
8–16 hours per fortnight → up to 72 subsidised hours (the guarantee covers this tier fully)
17–47 hours per fortnight → up to 100 subsidised hours per fortnight
48+ hours per fortnight → up to 120 subsidised hours per fortnight
If you're working full-time, the Activity Test still works in your favour for additional hours. But if you're between jobs, studying part-time, caring for another family member, or simply at home with your child — the 3-Day Guarantee means childcare is now genuinely accessible without proving your worth to a government system first.
What do Gold Coast families need to do right now?
If you're already on CCS:
Nothing. The 3-Day Guarantee applied to your account automatically from 5 January 2026. No re-application or re-confirmation needed.
If you haven't applied for CCS yet:
Apply through myGov as soon as possible. Once approved, you'll have access to the guaranteed 72 hours immediately. Our team can walk you through the process — just get in touch.
If you're currently paying full fees because you weren't meeting the Activity Test, it's worth reviewing your subsidy entitlement now. Many Gold Coast families will find they're eligible for significantly more support than they assumed.
Use our CCS Calculator to get an estimate based on your household income and the number of days you're considering. It takes about 60 seconds.
Common questions from Gold Coast families
Does the 3-Day Guarantee apply to all childcare types?
It applies to centre-based daycare — the kind offered at Little Scholars. It does not currently apply to family daycare or in-home care in the same way. Always check with Services Australia for the most current eligibility rules.
My child is only two — do they qualify?
Yes. The 3-Day Guarantee applies from birth to the age your child starts school, as long as you meet the standard CCS eligibility criteria. The child's age is not a limiting factor for the guarantee itself.
Can I split the 72 hours across different days?
The 72 hours is a per-fortnight entitlement that applies to your family regardless of which approved service your child attends. You can use it across up to three days per week — or spread it differently depending on your session hours.
Is the 3-Day Guarantee permanent?
It is government policy as of January 2026. Like all subsidy settings, it could change in future federal budgets. We'll keep this page updated as any changes are announced.
Do Little Scholars campuses have availability?
Availability varies by campus and age group. With 17 campuses across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich, and Redland Bay, we'd encourage you to enquire early — especially for the under-2 rooms. Contact your nearest campus →
Little Scholars School of Early Learning
Find out what the 3-Day Guarantee means for your family.
Our team can walk you through exactly what you're entitled to — and check availability across our campuses on the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich, and Redland Bay.
17 campuses across South East Queensland · 1300 896 139
Subsidy figures based on 2025–26 CCS rates published by Services Australia and the Department of Education. Gold Coast average daily fee of $131 sourced from CareforKids.com.au. Out-of-pocket estimates are indicative only and based on the hourly rate cap; actual costs may vary depending on your provider's fees and individual circumstances. Always verify your CCS entitlement via Services Australia or a registered CCS adviser.
Childcare costs are one of the most searched — and most misunderstood — topics for families with young children in Redland Bay. The headline fee feels scary. The subsidy system feels complicated. And most of the information out there is either national averages that don't apply locally, or government fact sheets that need a spreadsheet to decode. This post does the maths for you — using real Redland Bay fees, real 2025–26 CCS rates, and real out-of-pocket costs across a range of income levels. No jargon. No guesswork.
1What childcare actually costs in Redland Bay in 2026.
Based on data from CareforKids and Toddle, the average daily fee for long day care in Redland Bay sits at $148 per day for a standard 10-hour session in 2026 — $149/day for babies, $148 for toddlers, and $147 for kindergarten-age children.
That's higher than the Queensland state average of $131/day, and above the Gold Coast and Ipswich averages too. Fewer centres serving a growing population is the main driver. It's part of why Little Scholars runs two campuses in Redland Bay — giving local families more than one option close to home.
How Redland Bay compares — average daily fee, SEQ 2026
Redland Bay
$148/day
Brisbane metro
$139/day
Gold Coast
$131/day
Ipswich
$127/day
Source: CareforKids, Toddle (2026). QLD state average ~$131/day. Individual centre fees vary.
2The one thing most Redland Bay families don't realise about their subsidy.
The Child Care Subsidy doesn't apply to your full daily fee. It applies to whichever is lower: your actual fee, or the government's CCS hourly rate cap of $14.63/hr for 2025–26. On a standard 10-hour day that cap works out to $146.30.
Redland Bay's average of $148/day is $14.80/hr — $0.17 above the cap. That means every Redland Bay family pays a fixed above-cap gap of $1.70 per day that no level of subsidy can cover. On three days a week that's $5.10 per week, or $255 per year. It won't break your budget, but it's worth building into your numbers.
In plain English: Your CCS is calculated on $14.63/hr, not $14.80/hr. The $0.17 difference — $1.70/day — comes out of your pocket at every income level. Want to see your exact weekly cost? Use our free CCS Calculator →
3Your CCS percentage — how it's calculated.
Your subsidy rate is determined by your combined household adjusted taxable income. It starts at 90% for families earning up to $85,279, decreasing by 1% for every additional $5,000 earned above that threshold.
Family income
CCS rate
CCS per hour
Gap per hour
Daily out-of-pocket
Up to $85,279
90%
$13.17
$1.63
$18.00
$120,000
83%
$12.14
$2.66
$28.30
$140,000
79%
$11.56
$3.24
$34.10
$160,000
75%
$10.97
$3.83
$40.00
$180,000
71%
$10.39
$4.41
$45.80
$220,000
63%
$9.22
$5.58
$57.50
Gap per hour = ($14.63 – CCS per hour) + $0.17 above-cap. Multiply by 10 for daily gap. 2025–26 CCS rates, effective 7 July 2025. Your exact rate depends on your confirmed income estimate with Services Australia. Calculate yours here.
4What four real Redland Bay families pay each week at Little Scholars.
Here's what different household incomes actually translate to in weekly childcare costs — based on three days a week at Little Scholars Redland Bay, using the $148/day average and 2025–26 CCS rates.
Family A — $80,000
One income, or returning to work part-time
CCS rate90%
Government pays per day$130.00
Your daily gap fee$18.00
You pay — 3 days/week~$54
Family B — $120,000
Dual income, first child starting care
CCS rate83%
Government pays per day$119.70
Your daily gap fee$28.30
You pay — 3 days/week~$85
Family C — $140,000
Two professionals, planning for kindy next year
CCS rate79%
Government pays per day$113.90
Your daily gap fee$34.10
You pay — 3 days/week~$102
Family D — $180,000
Higher-earning household, two incomes
CCS rate71%
Government pays per day$102.20
Your daily gap fee$45.80
You pay — 3 days/week~$137
Based on $148/day at Little Scholars Redland Bay. CCS applied to the $14.63/hr hourly rate cap; above-cap gap of $1.70/day is included in all daily gap figures. Before 5% annual withholding reconciliation. Indicative only. Get your exact figure here.
At 90% CCS, the government covers $130 of your $148 daily fee. Three days a week at Little Scholars costs a family on $80,000 around $54 — not $444.
5How days and income combine — full weekly reference.
Whether you're looking at two days around the school run or five full days while you return to work, here's the complete picture across income levels for Little Scholars Redland Bay.
Family income
CCS %
2 days/wk
3 days/wk
4 days/wk
5 days/wk
$80,000
90%
~$36
~$54
~$72
~$90
$100,000
87%
~$41
~$62
~$82
~$103
$120,000
83%
~$57
~$85
~$113
~$142
$140,000
79%
~$68
~$102
~$137
~$171
$160,000
75%
~$80
~$120
~$160
~$200
$180,000
71%
~$92
~$137
~$183
~$229
$220,000
63%
~$115
~$173
~$230
~$288
All figures are weekly out-of-pocket after CCS, based on $148/day and the 2025–26 $14.63/hr rate cap. 5 days/week requires 48+ hours/fortnight of recognised participation (work, study, volunteering). Indicative only.
6Second child under 5? Your subsidy rate goes up.
If you have a second child aged 5 or under enrolled at Little Scholars, they attract a higher CCS rate of up to 95% for families earning under $143,273. This applies whether both children are at the same campus or different ones.
At $148/day and 95% CCS, your second child's daily gap drops to roughly $9.10 — about $27 a week for three days. If you're weighing up the cost of dual enrolment, that number is usually the one that changes people's minds.
95%Max CCS for a second child under 5 — families earning under $143,273
~$27/wkOut-of-pocket for second child, 3 days at Little Scholars ($148/day avg)
7If your child turns 4 this year, Free Kindy changes the numbers entirely.
Queensland's Free Kindy program provides eligible children with 15 hours per week of fee-free kindergarten for up to 40 weeks a year. For 2026, that's children born between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022. Both Little Scholars campuses in Redland Bay are approved providers — meaning your child can access Free Kindy at Little Scholars as part of their normal day.
In practice, CCS is applied first to reduce your gap fee. Free Kindy then covers a significant portion of what's left during the 15 kindy program hours each week. For families on lower-to-mid incomes, combining both programs can bring the weekly cost of a two-day kindy enrolment very close to zero during term.
Free Kindy is not income-tested. Even families who earn too much to qualify for CCS still receive the Queensland Government's Free Kindy benefit — if your child is the right age, you're eligible regardless of household income. See how Free Kindy works at Little Scholars →
8What's included in the fee at Little Scholars Redland Bay.
When you're comparing childcare fees, it's worth knowing what's actually included. At Little Scholars, your daily fee covers access to our curriculum — a play-based, educator-led program delivered across every room from Nursery and Infant Care through Toddler, Junior and Senior Kindy, and Kindergarten. It's built on the Early Years Learning Framework and delivered by qualified early childhood teachers and educators.
Redland Bay children also have access to our Outdoor Explorers (Bush Kinder) program — nature-based learning that takes the classroom outside and builds confidence, curiosity, and resilience in young children. It's one of the things families tell us they didn't expect and end up valuing most.
Little Scholars is family-owned, with 17 campuses across South East Queensland. The people making decisions about how your child's day runs are the same people who started this. That matters when things come up — and they always do when you've got a toddler.
9Two campuses in Redland Bay. Book a tour at either.
Little Scholars has two campuses serving Redland Bay families — one on Main Street and one on Collins Street. Both run the same programs. Book a tour at whichever works better for your commute or school run.
10The cost is sorted. Getting a place is the harder part.
Redland Bay has grown by over 2,000 residents since the 2021 Census, adding approximately 53 more children under five to the local demand pool. Current data shows around 1.8 children under five per licensed childcare place in the area — supply is tight and it's not getting looser.
Knowing what you'll pay matters. But honestly, knowing there's a place available matters more. Families who join Little Scholars' Redland Bay waitlists often do so six months to a year in advance — some before their baby is born. The subsidy paperwork takes an afternoon. Finding the right centre with an actual vacancy takes a lot longer.
If this post has made the cost feel more manageable than you expected, the best next step is to book a tour at one of our Redland Bay campuses, see the space, meet the team, and get your name down. The numbers will follow.
11The short version.
Redland Bay's average daily fee is $148/day— above the SEQ average, reflecting limited local supply. Little Scholars has two campuses in the area.
Because $148/day is above the CCS hourly rate cap ($14.63/hr), all families pay a fixed above-cap gap of ~$1.70/day regardless of their income or subsidy rate.
At 90% CCS (incomes under $85,279), three days a week at Little Scholars costs approximately $54 per week — not $444.
A second child under 5 attracts up to 95% CCS for families earning under $143,273 — their daily gap drops to around $9.10.
Eligible 4-year-olds can access Free Kindy at Little Scholar — stacking on top of CCS to dramatically reduce term-time costs. Not income-tested.
Supply in Redland Bay is tight. Book a tour before you finalise anything else.
📍 What Childcare Really Costs — Little Scholars South East Queensland Series
Use our CCS Calculator to see your real weekly cost — then come and see Little Scholars Redland Bay for yourself. Both campuses have a Book a Tour form right on the page.
Little Scholars School of Early Learning — 17 campuses across Gold Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich & Redland Bay
Average daily fee of $148 sourced from CareforKids.com.au and Toddle (2026). CCS rates and hourly rate cap ($14.63/hr) sourced from the Department of Education and Services Australia (2025–26). Weekly out-of-pocket figures are indicative only, before the 5% annual CCS withholding reconciliation, and do not constitute financial or legal advice. Individual centre fees vary — contact Little Scholars directly for current pricing.
Let us hold your hand and help looking for a child care centre. Leave your details with us and we’ll be in contact to arrange a time for a ‘Campus Tour’ and we will answer any questions you might have!
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