View child care details and payments option online 133-04040010

The Approved Child Care Benefit percentage is used to calculate how much of the standard hourly rate of Child Care Benefit (CCB) the customer is eligible to receive. The child care service will adjust the fees using the CCB percentage displayed. The percentages displayed are only applied to the standard child care hourly rate. This rate may be lower than the rate the child care service charges.

For example, if the percentage is 100% the customer could have up to a maximum of the standard hourly rate per hour deducted from the total fee for a child who is not at school.

The amount of fee reduction is less if the child attends school. If the customer has more than one child in child care, or they use family day care, the fee reduction may be higher. The child care service will tell the customer exactly how much they have to pay.

If the child attends any sort of 'occasional care', the percentage calculated can differ to any other types of care the child is attending.

The online estimator options can be used for new and current customers to perform scenario testing of a customer's CCB percentage.

CCB is also affected by the customer's family taxable income estimate. Customers should ensure their estimate is up to date by using the Update Your Family Income service option online.

The customer's CCB percentage is affected by their family taxable income estimate. This is an estimate of the income that the customer and their partner earn from any of the following:

• salary and/or wages
• lump sum payments
• business or self-employment
• investments
• real estate
• government payments and pensions
• any other taxable income

Customers should be advised to keep their estimate as up-to-date as possible. This can be done using the Update your family income service option online.

The Work/Training/Study test is in place to ensure child care services are directed to those families who participate in work or work related activities by providing them with the support they need. It is also one of the requirements for claiming the Child Care Rebate (CCR). Exceptions to the test can apply to individuals and families who may not always be able to participate in work or work related activities.

For approved CCB, the customer and their partner each need to undertake one, or a combination, of the activities listed below for at least 15 hours a week (30 hours a fortnight):

• working (including self-employment and paid leave from work)
• setting up a business
• looking for work
• casual or on call employment
• training or studying
• volunteer work

There is no minimum number of hours for the work/training/study test for CCR.

If unable to participate in work, training or study activities due to other commitments or circumstances, the customer and their partner may still satisfy the work/training/study test and be eligible for up to 50 hours of approved child care. These circumstances may include:

• providing constant care for an adult with a disability
• receiving Carer Allowance (CA) or Carer Payment (CP)
• on paid or unpaid parental leave (maximum limit of 12 months applies)
• on paid leave (including annual leave, sick leave or carer's leave)
• have a disability
• one parent is living overseas
• one parent is in prison or otherwise lawfully detained
• either member of a couple is the grandparent or great grandparent and is the primary carer of their grandchild
• exceptional circumstances exist

JETCCFA provides extra help with the cost of approved child care to eligible parents undertaking activities such as job search, work, study or rehabilitation as part of a Job Plan to help them enter or re-enter the workforce.

JETCCFA can help meet the cost of approved child care by paying most of the 'gap fee', the difference between the total child care fee and the amount covered by CCB, for care related to participation in JETCCFA approved activities. JETCCFA payments are made directly to the child care service on the customer's behalf. The customer will still make a contribution towards the cost of child care. A different 'gap fee' may be payable for any child care used in the week that is not related to the JETCCFA activity.

The View JET Child Care Assistance service contains a history and current details of JETCCFA entitlements. The information is sourced from what the customer has provided to Services Australia.

Customers can view the following details of their JETCCFA entitlements:

• JETCCFA Activity type - for example, Paid Work/Self-Employment, Education/Training etc.
• JETCCFA status and children covered by JETCCFA
• JETCCFA Assessment period
• Eligible JETCCFA hours assessed for and hours JETCCFA paid for - for example, a customer may be assessed for 60 hours per week per child, however they only use 50 hours per week per child, therefore the customer is only paid JETCCFA for the hours they actually use
• Parental co-contribution, for example, $1 or $0.10
• Service Provider type

It is important that the customer tells Centrelink about changes to their circumstances that may affect their JETCCFA entitlement. These include changes to the activities undertaken or changes to child care requirements.

• If the customer is currently receiving Approved CCB, and the named child is included as part of the claim, they will be shown as Currently receiving Child Care Benefit
• If they are not part of any CCB claim, they will be shown as Not currently receiving Child Care Benefit

The Approved Child Care Benefit percentage is affected by the child attending school. If a child starts or stops attending school, the customer should update attendance details with Services Australia to ensure the correct percentage is calculated.

When the child turns 6 years old they will be deemed to be going to school. If this is not correct, and the child will not be going to school, the customer should contact the agency.

Customers can advise the agency when their child has started primary schooling by selecting Child Care > View/Update Child Education Details. A future start date can be advised.

The View Child Care Attendance service contains a history of the child(ren)'s attendance at child care facilities. The information is sourced from what the child care service(s) has provided to the agency.

For more information, see View child care attendance option online.

Each child receives an initial 42 absences from a child care service per financial year, which may be used for any reason and without proof of circumstances.

Once the first 42 absence days have been exhausted, additional absences may be claimed only in specific circumstances. Evidence of circumstances should be provided to the child care service, for example: medical certificate for the service to assess.

If the customer has any questions regarding additional absences, they should talk to their child care service(s).

The CCR is paid in addition to CCB and covers a percentage of out-of-pocket child care expenses for approved care, up to an annual limit per child. The customer's out-of-pocket expenses are the difference between their total child care fees and their CCB entitlement (including JETCCFA entitlement if applicable).

Customers who satisfy the CCR work/training/study test or exception may choose to be paid CCR as:

• a direct payment to the child care provider or the customer as attendance data is received each fortnight, and in many cases weekly. If the customer receives a legislative rate of CCB greater than zero, 15% of their CCR entitlement will be kept
• quarterly payments paid to the customer throughout the year, or
• an annual lump sum payment after the end of the financial year once a lump sum claim has been finalised, child care attendance is received and the customer and partner tax return/s have been lodged

Customers can view their current payment options online.

Customers cannot change their CCR payment choice after the start of the financial year unless exceptional circumstances apply. If they want to change their current CCR payment option they must contact the agency.

• When the customer lodges their tax return(s) after the end of the financial year, their CCB will be reconciled. Their actual CCR entitlement will be worked out and adjusted for any quarterly or direct payments received. If CCB is claimed as a lump sum payment, CCR will only be paid as a lump sum
• For the 2011-12 financial year only, customers who have a current CCR payment option that is a 'conversion' of their 2010-11 financial year choice may be eligible for a one-off change to their 2011-12 payment option if requested

The online estimator options can be used for new and current customers to perform scenario testing of their CCB and CCR entitlement.

The following information is displayed when this service is selected:

Total child care fee

This is the total amount of child care fees that was payable before they were reduced by CCB. Only periods for which the customer met the Work/Training/Study test are considered.

CCB entitlement

This is the amount of CCB paid as reduced fees, per eligible child, in this period. Only periods for which the customer met the Work/Training/Study test were considered.

Child Care Rebate

This is the amount of CCR that the customer was paid per eligible child.

Total Child Care Rebate

This is the total of CCR that was paid to the customer for all eligible children.