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• How do I Qualify for a Child Care Benefit?

Who can get Child Care Benefit?

You may be eligible for Child Care Benefit if:

• you use approved or registered child care, and
• you or your partner (if you have one) are living permanently in Australia, and
• you are either an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen, the holder of a permanent visa, the holder of certain temporary visas, an Australian Government sponsored student or in other special circumstances, and
• your child is immunised or exempt from the immunisation requirements, and
• you are liable for child care fees for your child.

Guardians, including foster parents and grandparents, responsible for the day-to-day care of children/grandchildren may be eligible for Family Assistance and should contact the Family Assistance Office for more information.

Approved child care - is care provided by a service that has been approved by the Australian Government to pass Child Care Benefit on to families as a reduction in their child care fees. Most long day care, family day care, before and after school care, vacation care, some in-home care and occasional care services offer approved care.

All eligible families can get up to 24 hours of Child Care Benefit for approved care per child per week.

If you and your partner are working or undertaking work related activities (including training or studying) for at least 15 hours per week (or 30 hours per fortnight), or you and your partner are exempt from this requirement, you may also be eligible for up to 50 hours of Child Care Benefit per child per week.

Registered care - is care provided by nannies, grandparents, relatives or friends and, in some circumstances, private pre-schools, kindergartens, occasional care centres and outside school hours care centres that are registered with the Family Assistance Office.

Parents claiming Child Care Benefit for registered care must be participating in work or work related activities (including training or studying) at some time during the week that care is used.