Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Calculator

Try Out Our CCS Calculator

Great news for families! Early childhood education has become more affordable

Child Care Subsidy changes coming in 2026

At Little Scholars, we believe every child deserves access to high-quality early education.

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps make premium early learning more affordable by reducing the out-of-pocket costs for eligible families.

Under the proposed 3-day guarantee, eligible families will receive subsidised care for a minimum of three days per week, regardless of their level of work, study, or volunteering. This change has the potential to open the door for more children to benefit from high-quality early learning during their most important developmental years.

What’s Changing? The Three-Day Guarantee

From 5 January 2026, the government will introduce the 3-Day Guarantee. For many families, this is a big step forward.

All CCS-eligible families will have access to at least three full days of subsidised care every week, regardless of how much you work, study, or volunteer. This equals around 72 subsidised hours of care per fortnight. For families who currently only qualify for 24 or 36 hours under the Activity Test, this means more hours of support and greater flexibility.

Families who do meet the activity test will continue to be able to access up to 100 subsidised hours per fortnight, while First Nations families will also receive up to 100 subsidised hours, no matter their activity level.

What this means for your family

The new changes mean less stress about meeting work or study requirements just to qualify for child care support. Families who may have previously missed out on CCS hours will now receive guaranteed support. It also means more affordable access, more flexibility in choosing days, and more opportunities for your child to learn, grow, and build friendships.

Put simply, these changes are giving families more affordable access to Early Education and children the strong start they deserve

How the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Works

The Australian Government helps make child care more affordable for families through the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). How much CCS you receive depends on your combined household income and the results of the CCS activity test.

Here’s what that means for families:

Families earning up to $85,279 a year may be eligible for a subsidy of up to 90% off their daily child care fees.
If your family income is between $85,279 and $535,279, you may still receive a subsidy, but the percentage gradually reduces as income increases (it drops by 1% for every $5,000 of additional income until it reaches 0% at $535,279).
Families with more than one child aged 5 or under may be entitled to a higher subsidy — up to 95% for second and younger children.
And from January 2026, every CCS-eligible family will receive a minimum of three days of subsidised care each week, regardless of work or study commitments.

CCS is personalised to your situation. Factors such as family income, recognised activity (like work, study, volunteering, or job searching), the number of children in care, and the hourly rate charged by your provider all play a role in determining your payable gap fee at your Campus.

Eligibility and Requirements

To receive the CCS, families need to meet some general requirements. You must be responsible for paying the child care fees, use an approved child care service, and your child must meet residency and immunisation requirements. You’ll also need to care for your child at least two nights per fortnight.

If your family circumstances change — for example, your income, your work hours, or the number of children in care — it’s important to update your details in MyGov or Centrelink. This ensures you’re always receiving the correct level of subsidy.

Applying for the CCS

You can apply for CCS through your MyGov Account, which is linked to Centrelink. We recommend starting the process as soon as you are considering commencing your child in a Little Scholars Campus. The application can take four to six weeks, and if it’s not completed before your child starts, you may need to pay full fees until it’s approved.

Once your child’s enrolment is confirmed at Little Scholars, you’ll need to finalise a Complying Written Agreement (CWA) with us. This involves agreeing to your CWA online and confirming your child’s government enrolment through MyGov. CCS can’t be applied until both steps are complete.

To make things smoother, it’s worth gathering documents in advance. This might include proof of income, tax file numbers, bank details, your child’s birth certificate and immunisation records, and information about your work or study.

Now that you know what to expect, we’d suggest these are prepared in advance to streamline your claim process.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children

Families can now receive at least 36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight for each Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child in their care. This is regardless of their family’s activity level. For more information about CCS for Indigenous families, please visit Activity test for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children.

Our Commitment to Families

We know navigating the CCS can feel overwhelming, but you’re not on your own. From your very first tour at Little Scholars to your child’s last day of kindergarten, we’re here to help guide you and support you every step of the way.

Call our Enrolments Officer at 1300 896 139 for support with CCS or to book a tour at your nearest Little Scholars campus.

At The Heart of Everything we do at Little Scholars are our Key Pillars

See What Happy Parents are Saying

At Little Scholars, we’re committed to instilling the knowledge and skills that will allow your child to thrive and succeed in life.

See what some of our parents say about their experiences at Little Scholars

We are committed to your child’s care, education and development each and every day. We pride ourselves on the level of care we offer and the difference we are making in your child’s life for a better tomorrow.

Hear from Kat & Poppy about their experience at Little Scholars

There's a reason nine out of 10 families who visit our campuses choose to enrol. Your child's journey to discover starts here.

Shannon shares how educators have helped bring Charlie out of his shell

Shannon tells us how his son Charlie has built wonderful relationships with his educators, his friends and even his family during his time at Little Scholars.

Matty tells us how Little Scholars has helped his little social butterflies!

Matty tells us how Little Scholars has helped his children gain independence and allow his wife and him to maintain a balance with their professional lives!