Child care assistance

Services and benefits are available to help cover the costs of child care.

Who does this information apply to?

Parents, guardians, foster parents, grandparents and carers who are responsible for paying their children's fees at an approved or registered child care service.

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.

Financial support

Depending on your situation you may be eligible for:

• Child Care Benefit, which helps you with the cost of child care for approved care facilities
• Child Care Rebate, which helps you with out-of-pocket expenses for approved child care if you are working, studying or training. You must first claim Child Care Benefit to receive this rebate.
• Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care fee assistance provides extra assistance if you are looking to re-enter the workforce after having children and are undertaking activities such as job search, work, study or rehabilitation as part of an Employment Pathway Plan.

You can use the Centrelink Online Estimator to estimate the child care entitlements you may be able to receive.

To be eligible for some child care payments, your child must either be immunised, on an immunisation catch up schedule or exempt from the immunisation requirements.

The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register can provide details of your child's immunisation history.

More information

Centrelink website

• Child Care Benefit
• Child Care Rebate
• Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance
• Maternity Immunisation Allowance
• Online Estimators

Medicare website

• Keeping track of your child’s immunisations