Child care is an important part of family life — and for many families, the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) provides valuable financial support to help make quality early learning more affordable.

At Mother Duck Childcare, we strive to support families with clear, helpful information about how the CCS works and how to apply so you can get the assistance you’re entitled to.

What is the Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

The CCS is an Australian Government payment that helps families with the cost of approved child care services — including early learning and long day care — by reducing the fees you pay.  

Once your CCS claim is approved, Services Australia pays the subsidy directly to your child care service, and it is then passed on to you in the form of reduced out-of-pocket fees.  

Who Can Apply for CCS?

To be eligible to apply for the Child Care Subsidy you must:

✔ Care for a child aged 13 or under who is not attending secondary school (unless an exemption applies)

✔ Use an approved child care service (like Mother Duck)

✔ Be responsible for paying the child care fees

✔ Meet residency and immunisation requirements

✔ Meet any activity test requirements (see below)  

How to Apply: Step-by-Step

1. Create or Log In to Your myGov Account

To apply for the CCS, you will need a myGov account. If you haven’t already created one, head to the myGov website and follow the steps to set up your account.

Once your myGov account is active, link it to Centrelink — this will allow you to make your CCS claim online.  

2. Start a Claim Through Centrelink

Once you’ve logged into myGov and linked to Centrelink:

👉 Go to Payments and Claims

👉 Select Make a claim

👉 Choose Child Care Subsidy from the list of available claims

From here, you’ll be guided through questions about your family, child care arrangements and income.  

3. Complete Your Details and Submit

You will be asked to provide information about:

✔ You and your partner’s income

✔ Your child’s details

✔ Your child’s care arrangements

✔ Any recognised activities you or your partner are doing (such as work, study or volunteering — these can affect how many hours of subsidised care you are entitled to)  

Once all questions are completed, review your claim carefully and submit it.

4. Provide Your Child Care Provider With Your Details

After you submit your CCS claim and it is approved, you will need to give Mother Duck your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) and your child’s CRN so that we can link your approved CCS to your child’s enrolment.  

Once this is done, Services Australia will start paying the subsidy directly to us and your fees will be adjusted accordingly.

Do I Need to Do Anything Else Later?

Yes — if your family’s situation changes (like income, care arrangements, or activity hours), it’s important to update your CCS details through your Centrelink online account via myGov. This helps ensure you’re receiving the correct subsidy amount.

You can also monitor things like absence days, enrolment confirmations, and subsidy payments through your myGov account.  

What About Hours and Activity Requirements?

How many hours of subsidised care you can access can depend on your family’s activity levels (such as work or study commitments). From 5 January 2026, updated activity test rules are in effect that determine how many subsidised hours you can receive each fortnight.  

If you’re unsure about your activity hours or how they work, Services Australia provides clear guidance through your Centrelink online account and the myGov portal.

Need Help Getting Started?

We understand that Government payments and online applications can feel overwhelming. If you need support:

• Visit the Services Australia website for step-by-step guidance
• Call the Families Line if you prefer to talk to someone directly
• Ask our Mother Duck team — we’d be happy to help point you to the right place or provide support where we can

Quality early learning should be accessible and affordable — and understanding how to apply for the Child Care Subsidy is an important part of that. We hope this guide helps you feel informed and confident as you navigate the process.