Families

Supporting australian families

Making early childhood care simpler, more affordable, accessible and flexible, especially for families in need

A new child care subsidY

Families will be able to access a single Child Care Subsidy from 1 July 2017. The subsidy will assist low-income families earning around $65,000 or less with 85% of their child care fees, up to an hourly cap.

QUALITY CARE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED

Disadvantaged and vulnerable children will have better access to early childhood services through the Child Care Safety Net.

FLEXIBILITY

The Nannies Trial will support care for around 10,000 children whose families find it difficult to access regular child care services.

preschool

Children in all states and territories will be able to access 15 hours a week of preschool with a qualified early childhood teacher.

Key Measures

A NEW CHILD CARE SUBSIDY

Families will be able to access a single Child Care Subsidy from 1 July 2017. The subsidy will assist low-income families earning around $65,000 or less with 85% of their child care fees, up to an hourly cap.

A family with both parents working 8 hours a fortnight each can have up to 36 hours of subsidised child care; families who work longer hours can have more child care hours subsidised. Volunteering, paid work and study all counts.

The Child Care Subsidy will subsidise 24 hours of child care a fortnight for low-income families with a parent who doesn’t work.

FLEXIBILITY

The Nannies Trial will support care for around 10,000 children whose families find it difficult to access regular child care services.

Families earning less than $250,000 a year can apply. The trial will start on 1 January 2016 and finish two years later, on 31 December 2017.

Nannies must be attached to an approved service, be at least 18 years old, have a current Working with Children check, and be qualified to give first aid.

PRESCHOOL

Children in all states and territories will be able to access 15 hours a week or 600 hours a year of preschool with a qualified early childhood teacher.

QUALITY CARE FOR FAMILIES IN NEED

Disadvantaged and vulnerable children will have better access to early childhood services through the Child Care Safety Net.

Child care centres will receive more funding for the equipment and staff they need to support children with disabilities, and children from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

In regional and remote communities, child care centres will be able to apply for grants to help service their local community.

Disadvantaged Indigenous communities will also benefit from having child care services better integrated with maternal and child health and family support programmes.

CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS

The Government’s ‘No Jab, No Pay’ rule means that families who choose not to vaccinate their children will not be able to receive child care payments or the Family Tax Benefit Part A end of year supplement. This starts on 1 January 2016.

SUPPORTING AUSTRALIA’S FAMILIES

Making early childhood care simpler, more affordable, accessible and flexible, especially for families in need

Australia’s future depends on its families.

The Government is delivering a $4.4 billion Families Package to give parents more choice and opportunity to work, and to better support families and children in need.

The new Child Care Subsidy will replace the confusing combination of the Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and the Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance Programme.

The subsidy will target low-and-middle income earners, tapering from 85% for low-income families to 50% for families earning around $170,000 or more, up to an hourly fee cap.

Children accessing these subsidies must be vaccinated under the new ‘No Jab, No Pay’ rule. Families who don’t immunise their children also won’t be able to get the Family Tax Benefit Part A end of year supplement.

A $26 million boost to the Immunise Australia programmes will be used to encourage doctors to vaccinate the children they treat in their practice.

The $869 million Child Care Safety Net will provide support to children in need, including vulnerable children, children in regional and remote areas, Indigenous communities and children with additional needs.

A two-year Nannies Trial will subsidise care by a nanny to around 10,000 children.

The trial will support families who struggle to access regular child care services.