Understanding CCS Activity Hours: What Families Need to Know

Starting January 5, 2026, all CCS-eligible families are guaranteed at least 3 days of subsidised childcare per week or 72 hours per fortnight, regardless of their work, study, or volunteering status.

This Australian Government initiative aims to increase accessibility of childcare for families across Australia.

Eligible families can receive up to 100 hours of childcare per fortnight if they work, study, train, or volunteer for 48+ hours per fortnight, or hold a valid exemption.

First Nations families are automatically entitled to 100 hours per fortnight.

To qualify for CCS, families must earn less than $533,280 per year (2024–25 threshold) and meet the required immunisation standards.

A Scenario Example of the 3 Day Guarantee

Jane has 2 children under 4 years of age, her partner works  full time while Jane is a stay at home mum. Jane knows her children would love to spend time with other children playing and learning 1-2 days per week. But her partners income and the fact Jane doesn’t work or study means the cost is $350 for 2 children 1 day per week. With these changes the cost will be significantly less.

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Understanding the CCS Activity Hours

Working out your Child Care Subsidy (CCS) activity hours isn’t always straightforward and getting it right can make a real difference to your out-of-pocket childcare costs.

- 3 Day Guarantee: Replaces the previous minimum activity test, ensuring 72 hours/fortnight of subsidy for all eligible families.

- Higher Subsidies: If you do more than 48 hours of activity per fortnight, you can access up to 100 hours of subsidized care

- First Nations Children: Eligible for 100 hours of subsidized care per fortnight(effectively 36 hours minimum)

When calculating your activity hours, there are a few key things families need to consider:

Whatcounts as an “activity”?
It’s not just paid work. The CCS activity test can include:

- Paid employment (including self-employment)

- Study or training

-  Looking for work

- Volunteering

- Approved unpaid activities in some circumstances

Hours are combined across both parents
If you’re a couple, your subsidised hours are usually based on the parent withthe lowest level of activity. That’s a detail many families miss — andit can impact your entitlement.

It’s about hours per fortnight
CCS looks at how many hours of recognised activity you do over a two-week period, not just weekly hours, so it’s important to calculate carefully.

Helpful Hint: Travel time can count
In many cases, the time you spend travelling to and from work, study, or otherrecognised activities can be included helping increase your total hours.

 Information source - https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/providers/child-care-subsidy#toc-family-eligibility

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