From 5 January 2026, the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) activity test is being replaced. All CCS eligible families can get 3 days of subsidised child care per week. These changes are known as the 3 Day Guarantee.

From 5 January 2026, all CCS eligible families can get at least 72 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight.

Families can get 100 hours of subsidised child care each fortnight for each child if they:

• are caring for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child
• have more than 48 hours each fortnight of recognised participation
• have an exemption or experience exceptional circumstances, or
• receive Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) child wellbeing, temporary financial hardship or grandparent payments.

Families can find out more about how this applies to their specific circumstances on the Services Australia website. 

Families:

• do not need to do anything if they already get CCS
• must still pay a gap fee, except in certain circumstances
• must still meet entitlement and eligibility criteria.

Click the link below for more inforamtion through the Australian Goverment – Department of Education:

3 Day Guarantee – Department of Education, Australian Government