Blog - Australian Childcare Alliance

By now early learning services would have received an email from the Department of Education and Training (DET) which included a link to a fact sheet about the activity test preschool exemption - that is, the 36 hours of subsidised care for children attending a preschool/kindergarten program at a centre based day care service (for those families that pass the income test).

We know that some families have had difficulty applying for this entitlement via Centrelink, and this has caused great confusion.

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We are receiving quite a few queries from early learning service providers on behalf of their families, in relation to the 36 hours of subsidised care for children attending a preschool program at a centre based day care service.

Under the new Child Care Subsidy, as stated in the Minister's Rules, families that pass the income test are entitled to "36 hours of subsidised care per fortnight if the child attends a kindergarten or preschool program at a centre-based day care in the year that is two years before grade one of school".

If your family has already completed their Child Care Subsidy assessment, the person who has logged into MyGov and completed it on behalf of their family will be sent a notice of the outcome once Centrelink has finalised the assessment or claim.

If the family member has elected to receive their updates online, the letter will be sent to their MyGov inbox telling them if they are eligible and if so, informing them of the level of child care fee assistance they will receive.

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