Since January 2026, every family eligible for the Child Care Subsidy is guaranteed 3 days (72 hours a fortnight) of subsidised care. Some families can access up to 5 days. Here's a clear framework for working out exactly where your family sits.
What changed, and what stayed the same
Before January 2026, an activity test determined how many hours of subsidised care a family could access, based on hours spent working, studying or looking for work. That system has been replaced with a guaranteed baseline: every CCS-eligible family now automatically receives 3 days, regardless of activity levels, with nothing to apply for.
Activity hasn't disappeared from the picture entirely, it now only applies where a family wants to access more than the guaranteed baseline, up to 5 days a week. If 3 days already suits your family's routine, there's nothing further required.
Read more: Child Care Subsidy Changes 2026: How the 3-Day Guarantee Can Support Your Family
The two numbers to know
- 72 hours a fortnight (3 days a week) - the automatic baseline every CCS-eligible family receives.
- 100 hours a fortnight (5 days a week) - available where you and your partner (if you have one) each clear more than 48 hours a fortnight of work, study, training or job-seeking.
The 48-hour figure applies to each parent individually, and Services Australia uses whichever parent's hours are lower to determine the family's overall eligibility. Recognised activity can also be a mix of types rather than a single category - part-time work combined with part-time study, for instance, can be added together to reach the threshold.
How it plays out for a real family
Mia works full-time and her partner Tom studies three days a week while job-seeking the rest. Both clear more than 48 hours a fortnight of combined activity. Because Services Australia bases eligibility on whichever parent has done less, and Tom's combined hours still clear the threshold, the family accesses the full 5 days rather than the guaranteed 3. If Tom's combined hours had fallen under 48, the family would have remained on the guaranteed baseline, regardless of Mia's own hours.
Working out where your family sits
- Add up your fortnightly hours of work, study, training or job-seeking
- Do the same for your partner, if you have one
- If both totals clear 48 hours, your family is likely eligible for up to 5 days
- If either total falls under 48 hours, the guaranteed 3 days is likely your family's outcome
If your hours have genuinely and ongoingly changed since you last checked, it's worth updating your details with Services Australia via myGov so your subsidised hours reflect your current situation, rather than relying on outdated figures.
Questions families often ask
Does accessing more days change what I pay? No - your CCS percentage is set by family income, not activity, so it stays the same. You'll pay the usual gap fee for any additional days.
What if my hours vary from fortnight to fortnight? A single unusual week generally won't shift your subsidised hours. It's a sustained, ongoing change that's worth reporting.
Is the calculation different for each of my children? No - eligibility is worked out per child, using the same family activity figures each time, so the result is generally consistent if you have more than one child enrolled with us.
Why this is worth ten minutes of your time
Attendance patterns matter for school readiness. Children who attend on a settled, predictable schedule tend to build stronger routines around structured learning, social skills and independence than those whose days change unpredictably. If your family qualifies for additional days but hasn't checked, moving to a more consistent 4- or 5-day pattern can support that structure directly, on top of the practical benefit for working families. And if the outcome is that 3 days remains the right amount for your family, that's a clear and useful answer too, either way, you'll have a definite figure to plan around rather than a guess.
Talk to our team
Bring your current work or study hours to our centre team and we'll help you work out whether additional days make sense for your family, and support your enrolment through the process from start to finish.
Find your nearest Kids Academy Early Learning centre
Contact our Family Support Team on 1800 244 532
Use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to estimate your out of pocket costs.