Simplified Child Care Subsidy
- The new Child Care Subsidy will be implemented from July 1, 2017. It will replace the Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance Programme.
- The government estimates families earning between $65,000 and $185,000 will be about $30 a week better off.
- The subsidy will be paid directly to child care providers
More assistance for disadvantaged families
- Families with incomes of about $65,000 or less, will still be able to get up to 24 hours subsidised care each fortnight, even if they don’t work enough hours.
- A Community Child Care Fund worth $304 million will also be created to improve affordability for low income families in high cost areas.
- A new Inclusion Support Programme will assist parents who have children with disabilities or from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- All children will have access to preschool for up to 15 hours a week for 600 hours a year.
Vaccination requirement
- Children will have to be vaccinated for parents to access child care payments and Family Tax Benefit Part A.
To read more about the budget in it’s entirely click here and to read an article about childcare from the budget click here.