Payments are made via direct debit by registering with ChildCare EasyPay, through your online SmartCentral account, during your application process. The only other form of payment is salary packaging for eligible UWA Staff members.

It is the parents' responsibility to ensure that you have a current salary packaging contract with UWA Human Resources and that you sign and complete the salary packaging form provided to you by the Child Care Service, and return the form to the salary packaging department for processing.

Families that salary package their fees will not be entitled to Child Care Subsidy.

From 2 July 2018 the Child Care Subsidy commenced, as a part of the Australian Government Jobs for Families Child Care Package. The CCS:

• replaces the old Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR) with a single, means tested subsidy; and
• is paid directly to service providers, to pass on to families as a fee reduction, so that their fees are reduced at the time they use child care.

From 10 July 2023 the maximum amount of Child Care Subsidy (CCS) increased from 85% to 90% for families earning up to $80,000 and the income limit is now $530,000.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy:

• The child must:
  • be a `Family Tax Benefit child? or `regular care child?;
  • be aged 13 years or under and not attending secondary school; and
  • meet immunisation requirements

• The person claiming the Child Care Subsidy, or their partner, must:
  • meet residency requirements;
  • meet the Child Care Subsidy activity test (or be eligible for an exemption); and
  • be liable to pay for care provided under a Complying Written Arrangement (CWA-their written agreement) with their child care provider

• Child care must be provided by an approved provider in Australia and not be part of a compulsory education program, for example school.

Entitlement calculation

The Department of Human Services calculates entitlements for Child Care Subsidy by using information provided by:

• the service provider (such as in session reports); and
• the individual who is claiming Child Care Subsidy for their child, which is dependent on three factors:
  • Combined family income
  • Activity level of parents
  • Type of child care service

For further information on Child Care Subsidy, hourly rate caps and to estimate what your new Child Care Subsidy might be, please refer to the Australian Government's CCS website.