Child Care Rebate

Child Care Rebate helps families cover the costs of approved child care. It is paid in addition to Child Care Benefit and covers some out-of-pocket child care expenses for those who are working, training or studying.

The rebate covers some of your out-of-pocket expenses for approved child care up to a maximum amount per child per year. Out-of-pocket expenses are the total of your child care fees less the amount of Child Care Benefit you receive.

You may be able to get Child Care Rebate if you:

• use approved child care and are eligible for Child Care Benefit even if you receive no payment because your income is too high
• meet the work, training or study requirements
• meet the residency requirements for Child Care Benefit

Approved child care

A child care service is approved if it meets certain Australian Government requirements such as qualified staff and health and safety quality standards. Approved child care includes outside school hours care, family day care, vacation care, long day care, in home care and some occasional care services.To find out if your child care is approved ask your child care service or call the Child Care Access Hotline on Freecall 1800 670 305 8AM to 9PM EST.

Work, training or study requirements

To get Child Care Rebate you must have worked, studied or trained at some time during the week in which you used child care.