Supporting parents to return to the CCS

With the Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package coming to an end and the resumption of the CCS on Monday 13 July, it’s important to remind the parents in your service what they need to do to avoid paying full fees.

Families receiving the CCS before 6 April 2020 need to confirm they are still eligible and that their enrolment is current for CCS to start again.

Families who are new to your service and who haven’t claimed CCS should apply now to avoid paying full fees from 13 July.

Families receiving CCS before 6 April

CCS automatically resumes for parents who have a current enrolment and who previously received CCS, as long as they are still eligible. To confirm eligibility and ensure parents are receiving the correct amount of CCS parents must:

1. Give Centrelink their 2020–21 family income estimate to receive the correct CCS percentage and avoid an overpayment.
2. Check activity hours to receive the correct amount of hours of CCS per fortnight*.
3. Make sure their child meets immunisation requirements.
4. Check their child’s enrolment details are current with your child care service and re-enrol if necessary.
5. Confirm their income for 2018–19 if they haven’t already by today 30 June 2020.

*Note that from 13 July 2020, the Australian Government is easing the activity test for CCS. This means parents may be able to apply for extra activity hours if they have been affected by COVID-19.

Families new to child care

If there are any parents in your service who are new to child care,  and who haven’t applied for CCS, encourage them to claim CCS as soon as possible, to avoid paying full fees from 13 July.

The Department of Education, Skills and Employment has created an information sheet for families about the transition arrangements for the end of the Early Childhood Education and Care Relief Package and the return to CCS, which offers plenty of additional information.

Our article What you need to know about the end of free child care is also a useful source of information for parents.