Child care providers

This section of our website contains information for child care providers and people who plan to purchase or establish a child care service.

On this page

• Printable forms
• Providing usage details
• Centrelink electronic standards
• Information for software providers
• Child Care Management System
• More information

Printable forms

Child care providers can now download and print out these forms.

Providing usage details

Approved child care providers are required to provide child care usage details to the Family Assistance Office (FAO) on a quarterly basis. Approved providers can use software to generate statements on a computer disk or complete the Child Care Benefit Statement for payment summary and Statement of child care usage forms.

When selecting a software package for the first time or upgrading existing software, providers should check that the software adheres to the Centrelink electronic standards. These standards describe the field format system requirements that will enable software packages to supply child care usage details. These standards do not cover other functionality that may be included in the software package.

To ensure prompt payment, it is important that data is provided in the correct format.

Phone us on 1300 367 676 to order disk labels (product number FAO28) to assist with the correct labelling of statements.

Centrelink electronic standards

You can view and print out the latest copy of the Centrelink electronic standards.

• Child Care Benefit - Statement for Payment Electronic Lodgement Standards [22 pages, PDF: 101KB].
• Child Care Benefit - Statement for Payment Electronic Lodgement Standards [22 pages, RTF: 791KB].

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Information for software providers

New and current software providers should ensure that their software adheres to Centrelink's electronic standards. These standards are updated annually and describe the field format system requirements that will enable software packages to supply child care usage details to the Family Assistance Office (FAO). These standards do not cover other functionality that may be included in the software package.

Software providers can test their software by using the FAO Checker Tool. This tool is available by emailing the software helpdesk. It is updated annually in line with the electronic standards. Software providers can provide the FAO Checker Tool to child care providers to enable them to check their disks before forwarding to the Family Assistance Office for processing.

Child Care Management System

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is progressively implementing the Child Care Management System (CCMS), a new national child care computer system for the payment of Child Care Benefit. New and current software providers can find more information about the CCMS, including an information paper and draft service provider interface specifications, by viewing the Child Care Management System website information on the DEEWR website.

• DEEWR website - Child Care for Services section

More information

Refer to the DEEWR website for information and resources for child care providers and people who plan to purchase or establish a child care service.

• DEEWR website - Early Childhood section