Providing early childhood education and care

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is paid to early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers who pass it on to families as a fee reduction. Find out how to become an approved provider, how to administer the subsidy, and how to get extra support.

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Child Care Subsidy

CCS is paid to ECEC providers to pass on to families as a fee reduction. Families must meet eligibility criteria to get CCS. The amount of CCS a family can get depends on their circumstances.

Learn about CCS family eligibility and entitlement

Additional Child Care Subsidy

The Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) provides extra help with the cost of early childhood education and care to families facing difficult or challenging circumstances. ACCS will usually cover all of a child’s early childhood education and care fees.

Learn about Additional Child Care Subsidy 

ECEC Laws

ECEC Laws is the basis for Commonwealth ECEC fee assistance. It sets the rules for providers who administer CCS.

Learn about ECEC Laws

How to administer CCS

To correctly administer CCS, there are a range of things you must do. Our how-to guides can help you through the process – from applying for CCS approval and accessing the system, to enrolling children, submitting session reports, managing payments, and more.

View our how-to guides

Get early childhood compliance knowledge online, or Geccko, is our online learning platform. It is designed to help you comply with your obligations FAL.

Learn about Geccko

Compliance and enforcement

We undertake compliance activities to help to make sure CCS goes to its intended beneficiaries – families. We take enforcement action against providers and services who do not comply with FAL.

Learn about compliance and enforcement

Extra support

We have a range of support for providers, services and families facing difficult or challenging circumstances.

Learn about extra support

We’re investing in measures to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through better access to quality ECEC.

Learn about Closing the Gap

Workforce

Quality outcomes for children depend on a highly skilled, well-supported and professionally recognised ECEC workforce. We’re working to build a high-quality and sustainable workforce.

Learn about the early childhood workforce

Building Early Education Fund

We’re building and expanding ECEC services in areas of need across Australia through the Building Early Education Fund.

The Building Fund recognises the important role you play in:

  • laying the foundations for a child's lifelong learning development and wellbeing
  • influencing future health, education, and employment outcomes.

The Building Fund offers opportunities for quality not-for-profit ECEC providers to expand their services and reach more families.

If you are a not-for-profit provider with experience in delivering high-quality ECEC and managing construction projects, you may be invited to participate in market sounding ahead of a grant round. We’ll contact eligible providers directly with more details.

Learn more about the Building Early Education Fund