Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is paid directly to providers to reduce the fees you pay. The amount you receive is based on your specific circumstances. If you have queries about your entitlements, you can check with your Centrelink online account through myGov or contact Centrelink directly. You may be eligible to claim Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) if you meet the criteria for child wellbeing (families who require practical help to support their children’s safety and wellbeing), grandparent subsidy, transition to work subsidy or temporary financial hardship. You will need to provide Poosh with the following information:
■ Your Customer Reference Number (CRN - issued to you by the Family Assistance Office)
■ Your child’s CRN
■ Your date of birth (CRN Holder)
■ Your child’s date of birth The CRN Holder will then be notified of the enrolment notice (accessed via Centrelink, express mobile app or via myGov) where you can confirm, dispute or reject the enrolment. Once the enrolment is confirmed, entitlements can be calculated, until subsidies are applied to the account you are liable for the full fee.
Families are only entitled to CCS payments on 42 absence days per child, per financial year (additional absences may be granted by the Australian Government). In shared care arrangements, the allocation of 42 absences per financial year relates to the child, not each individual claimant. Families are not entitled to CCS until the first day the child physically attends the service and are only entitled to the last day the child physically attends the service. Non attendance on a first or last day of care will result in the full fee being charged for that session.
An enrolment will automatically cease for CCS where a child does not attend a session of care for 14 continuous weeks. If the last day was an absence, CCS will automatically withdraw the CCS paid to the service (this may occur after 14 weeks). If your child does not attend a session of care in 26 weeks you will no longer be eligible for CCS. You should always review your care arrangements after an extended break between sessions of care, to ensure it is up to date and both parties continue to agree on the terms of the arrangement.