Family Assistance

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Child Care Rebate

The Child Care Rebate helps working families with the cost of child care. The Child Care Rebate covers 50 per cent of out-of-pocket child care expenses for approved child care up to the maximum legislated amount per year per child in approved care.

For more information, contact us.

If you would like information about approved child care services and vacancies in your local area, contact the Child Care Access Hotline on 1800 670 305* or search the My Child website.

*Free call unless from a mobile or pay phone.

Can I get the Child Care Rebate?

There are certain requirements you must meet to get the Child Care Rebate.

You must have:

*Note: There is no income test for the Child Care Rebate. If you are eligible for Child Care Benefit, but your Child Care Benefit entitlement is zero due to income, you may still be eligible for the Child Care Rebate.

How can I get paid?

From July 2011 you have the option to receive your Child Care Rebate paid either direct to service, direct to customer, quarterly or annually. Payment of Child Care Rebate is based on the frequency of child care attendance data received from your Child Care Service.

When you choose a payment option, this option will be applied for the entire 2011-2012 financial year.

Fortnightly payments

The direct payment methods will be paid fortnightly and in many cases weekly depending on when the attendance details are lodged.

‘Direct to Service’:

You can choose to have Child Care Rebate automatically sent to your Approved Child Care Service. The Child Care Service will reduce your account by the amount of the Child Care Rebate entitlement.

‘Direct to Customer’:

Your Child Care Rebate entitlement will be credited to your bank account each time your Approved Child Care Service lodges child care attendance details.

If you want to receive your Child Care Rebate as a ‘Direct to Service’ or ‘Direct to Customer’ payment, you must claim Child Care Benefit as reduced fees, even if you are eligible for Child Care Benefit but your entitlement is zero due to income.

Note: If you choose ‘Direct to Service’ or ‘Direct to Customer’ and you are in receipt of Child Care Benefit at a legislative rate greater than zero, you will have 15% of your Child Care Rebate withheld to reduce your chances of a reconciliation debt. The balance of those funds withheld will be reconciled at the end of financial year (when your tax returns have been lodged and all your child care attendance information has been received). Any outstanding amounts will be paid as a direct payment to your bank account.

Quarterly payments

If you choose this option, your Child Care Rebate entitlement will be credited to your nominated bank account quarterly. The quarter commences on the first Monday in July of each financial year and is for a period of 13 weeks. Each quarter thereafter is for a period of 13 weeks. Quarterly payments are paid in October, January and April, with the last quarter paid at reconciliation.

If you want to receive your Child Care Rebate as a quarterly payment, you must claim Child Care Benefit as reduced fees, even if you are eligible for Child Care Benefit but your entitlement is zero due to income.

Annual payments

Your Child Care Rebate will be paid directly to your nominated bank account as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, once your and your partner’s tax return/s have been lodged and your childcare attendance has been received.

If you receive your Child Care Benefit for approved child care as a lump sum payment, you can only receive your Child Care Rebate as a lump sum. You must lodge your Child Care Benefit lump sum claim with the Family Assistance Office within 2 years of the end of the financial year for which you are claiming Child Care Benefit. For example, for the 2009/10 financial year you will need to lodge your Child Care Benefit lump sum claim before 30 June 2012.

Child Care Rebate is paid by direct credit to the account you have nominated with the Family Assistance Office.

Note: If you and/or your partner do not need to lodge tax returns, you must tell the Family Assistance Office.

When are quarterly payments made?

For further information about Methods of Payment and when payments are made, refer to Child Care Rebate Payments on the Centrelink website.

What if my child is absent from child care?

Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate can be paid in some situations if you are charged for child care when your child is absent.

Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are paid for up to 42 absences for each child per financial year across all approved child care services except Occasional Care. These absence days can be taken for any reason with no evidence required. Please talk to your child care provider regarding the absence policy detail.

Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are also paid for additional absences above the 42 days for certain reasons. There is no limit on these days but supporting documentation may be required. Please talk to your child care provider regarding the additional absence policy detail and any supporting document requirements.

For Occasional Care, Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are paid for an absence if the child care has been booked and paid for at the Occasional Care service. There is no limit on the number of absences.

Note: Child Care Rebate may only be payable for absences from care that attract Child Care Benefit.

You can access your child's absence record on your online statement available under View Child Care Details and Payments at Online Services.

For more information on absences from child care, you can access the Information for families using child care fact sheet kit available on the DEEWR website.

What if I did not get Child Care Benefit for previous years?

If you have identified that you are eligible for Child Care Benefit for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial year, but have not received it, you can lodge a lump sum claim for each period with the Family Assistance Office. You must do this within two years of the end of the financial year for which you are claiming. Once you have received your Child Care Benefit entitlement, you are then eligible for the Child Care Rebate if you used approved care and were working, training or studying.

Using Online Services

If you are using Online Services for the first time, you need to register to get a Customer Access Number (CAN) and password. Once you have registered, you can logon and use all appropriate Online Services.

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