Overview
- All Child Care Subsidy recipients now receive at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, equal to three days each week.
- Families must still meet CCS eligibility rules, secure a place with a provider, and pay any gap fee.
- Subsidy access can rise to 100 hours per fortnight for carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, households with over 48 hours of recognised participation, or those with exemptions or ACCS support.
- The government has allocated about $430 million over four years for the guarantee and pledged $1 billion to build or expand services in areas with limited access.
- The shift follows a Productivity Commission recommendation to scrap the activity test, which was found to limit access without materially lifting workforce participation.