The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is the primary government assistance in Australia designed to aid families in covering childcare expenses. The subsidy amount you receive depends on your family circumstances and income, which can cover up to 90% of childcare costs.
With CCS, more families can access quality programs such as our Rise then Shine morning program, Stay and Play after school program, and our Holiday HQ school holiday programs at a very affordable rate.
The subsidy is paid directly to your child care provider, reducing the fees you pay out of pocket.
The amount of subsidy you receive depends on:
Benefits of CCS
Reduces the cost of care
The subsidy is paid directly to OSHClub before you are charged for your session fees, reducing the amount you need to pay out of pocket.
Makes quality care more affordable
Access quality care, engaging activities, and a safe environment through our Outside School Hours Care and Holiday Programs, all while keeping costs low and manageable for your family.
Supports your family’s routine
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) helps busy families access affordable, high-quality childcare that fits around work, study, and everyday commitments. By reducing out-of-pocket costs, CCS makes it easier for parents to balance their schedules while ensuring children receive the best possible care and learning experiences
Applies automatically
Payments go directly to OSHClub, making billing and budgeting easier. There's no need to spend time submitting claims or details every week — we handle all the hard work for you, so you can focus on what matters most
Your CCS eligibility depends on your family income, the hourly rate cap, and how many recognised subsidised hours you can access.
The example below outline possible CCS amounts for a $35 after school care session.
Please note these are general estimates and don’t include the 5% withholding.
Your CCS subsidy amount will depend on:
Your family combined income
If your program fees exceed the hourly rate cap of $12.81
Your activity hours
Prices and session lengths vary for each school. For detailed pricing, visit your school's page on our website.
After School Care
Full Fee - $35
Session Length - 3h
< Hourly Rate Cap
Income and Subsidy - Standard Rate
| Combined Family Income | Subsidy Percentage of Fees Charged | What you'll pay (eg. full fee - $35) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $85,279 | 90% | $3.50 |
| $85,280-$185,279 | 70% - 80% | $8.75 |
| $185,280-$285,279 | 50% - 70% | $12.25 |
| $285,280-$485,279 | 20% - 50% | $21.00 |
| $485,280- $585,278 | 1% - 20% | $31.50 |
| $535,279 or more | 0% | $35.00 |
Subsidised Hours of Care based on Activity Hours (effective 5 January 2026)
| Hours of recognised activity per fortnight | Hours of subsidised child care each fortnight |
|---|---|
| Less than 48 hours | 72 hours |
| More than 48 hours | 100 hours |
You need to do a recognised activity to be eligible for CCS.
Recognised activities can include any of the following:
Recognised activities can include any of the following:
See how CCS works in real life
Maximum CCS Rate
Charlotte has one child, Flynn who attends OSHClub 3 days a week. Her combined family income is $75,000, where Charlotte works full-time. Flynn will get the maximum standard CCS rate of 90%. This is because they’re the only CCS eligible child in child care and the family income is under $85,279.
Below Maximum CCS Rate
Jack and Emma, have one child, Lucy aged 9, who attends OSHClub 2 days a week. Emma works full-time while Jack works part-time. Their combined family income is 130,000. As the maximum standard CCS rate of 90% goes down by 1% for every $5,000 of income earned above $85,279, Jack and Emma will get a CCS rate of 81% for Lucy.
From 5 January 2026, all CCS eligible families will receive a minimum of 72 subsidised hours of childcare per fortnight, regardless of the family’s hours of recognised activity. For OSHC, this is approximately 6 days of Holiday HQ per fortnight and stretches even further for term time sessions, Rise then Shine & Stay and Play!
Use the Child Care Subsidy calculator to understand new child care rates and fees and discover how you can apply for CCS.
Check out this video by Services Australia for more information on CCS and your eligibility.
Questions? We're here to help.
Q1: How will the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) be paid?
A: CCS is paid directly to OSHClub so families only pay the difference between the subsidy and fee charged. This ensures there are no additional out of pocket fees. You will need to complete an assessment for CCS before each child starts attending care.
Q2: What is a Complying Written Agreement (CWA)?
A: A CWA is an ongoing agreement between an Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC) service provider and a Parent/Guardian to provide care in return for fees. A CWA is required to access CCS funding. You can view the status of your CWA via your myGov account.
Q3: Why am I being charged full fees?
A: There are a few reasons a family might be charged full fees:
You have not started or fully completed your myGov assessment
You have declined to accept your CWA in myGov
Your household income is above $535,279 and are not entitled to CCS. Please visit https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/your-income-can-affect-child-care-subsidy?context=41186 to view the current CCS rates.
If these do not apply to you, please contact our Customer Service and Billing team on 1300 395 735 or contact Centrelink for further information.
Q4: I haven’t had an opportunity to complete the myGov assessment, will I be charged full fees?
A: Yes. You must complete your myGov assessment to access CCS entitlements. If you have an incomplete assessment please ensure that you:
Link your Centrelink account with your myGov account
Provide the correct Customer Registration Number (CRN) & date of birth for both you and your child
Ensure the correct parent/guardian is the account holder
Q5: I have been charged full fees, can this be refunded when I have completed my CCS eligibility through myGov?
A: If eligible, we may be able to backdate your subsidy for up to 28 days.
Any entitled fee changes will be applied and shown on your statement of entitlement.
Q6: My Complying Written Agreement (CWA) has a 'Pending' status. What do I need to do?
A: A 'Pending' status requires you to log on to your myGov account and complete your assessment. Once you have completed your assessment, CCS will be backdated to start of your CCS enrolment.
You will be charged full fees unless this is completed.
Q7: My Complying Written Agreement (CWA) has a 'disputed' or 'rejected' status. What do I need to do?
A: Contact our Customer Service and Billing team on 1300 395 735 and we will resubmit your CWA. You will then need to confirm your details via your myGov account.
You will be charged full fees unless this is completed.
Q8: Why was I charged in full for a session that was partially paid by CCS in the past?
A: If your first or final booking is an absence and a session is not attended for a consecutive 14 weeks after that final absent booking, this is classed as a cessation of care. This means that any previously paid Child Care Subsidy for the absent sessions will be retracted and charged to you.
Please refer to the Services Australia website for more information about cessation of care.
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