Child Care Subsidy

Assistance to help you with the cost of child care from Services Australia. The Child Care Subsidy helps with the cost of childcare and outside school hours care for children until the age of 13. Children with disability aged 14 to 18 may be eligible.

To get the Child Care Subsidy, you need to do recognised activities (generally paid work). The Carer Allowance and the Carer Payment entitle you to the Child Care Subsidy for all your children (not just the children who have a disability).

• If you receive the Carer Allowance, you can access up to 72 hours of subsidised care a fortnight per child
• If you receive the Carer Payment, you can access up to 100 hours of subsidised care a fortnight per child.

This is helpful for single-parent families who are not in paid work or in two-parent families where one parent is not working.

The Child Care Subsidy can be used for outside school hours care, including school holiday programs.

Further Information

Services Australia – Child Care Subsidy
Services Australia – Other circumstances that affect the number of subsidised hours you get

Free kinder

The Victorian Government provides five to 15 hours of free three-year-old kinder a week, and 15 hours of free four-year-old kinder a week. It doesn’t matter if your child attends a long-daycare centre or a standalone kindergarten.

Free Kinder is for everyone. A Health Care Card or Australian citizenship is not required to access Free Kinder.

Find out more about free kinder

Help with school costs

There are options if you're having difficulties with school costs.

You can:

• talk to your school about your situation. They may be able to arrange a payment plan or look at other options.
• ask about support from State Schools' Relief and the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund
• use the payment and service finder to see if you can get support from the Commonwealth government.
• use the Crisis Referral Information System to find support near you.
• ask your school about support services in your area.

Your school cannot stop your child from learning the standard curriculum if you can't pay.

Help with school costs and fees | vic.gov.auhttps://www.vic.gov.au/help-school-costs-and-fees#help-from-state-schools-relief