Child Care main page

DEEWR helps families to participate in the social and economic life of the community through the provision of support for child care services, including:

• helping families with the cost of child care (Child Care Benefit );
• policy advice, research and service management related to providing children's services; and
• helping services provide quality care under the Child Care Services Support Program:
  • quality assurance, training and support services to improve the quality of children's care;
  • funding, training and support products and services to promote equity of access; and
  • funded child care places and operational support for child care services (Community Support Payments);
  • Family Day Care Start Up Payment

The Australian Government has invested over $73 million to develop a National Child Care Management System (CCMS) to provide the best information on child care supply and usage data that has ever been available across Australia. CCMS will be implemented progressively across child care services from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2009. CCMS will support child care services to implement streamlined administrative processes and reduce red tape.

Service Delivery

The delivery of some payments, services and customer information under this output group has been subcontracted to the Family Assistance Office. 

Latest news

• Current Australian Government Census of Child Care Services 
• Previous Australian Government Censuses of Child Care Services 
• The Child Care Quality Assurance Spot Check Survey 2008
• Child Care Tax Rebate details    
• Child Care Benefit details     
• Child Care Service Handbook 2007-2008 
• Information for families using child care – Fact Sheet Kit including Child Care Tax Rebate and Child Care Benefit details on Budget 2008 changes
• Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
• In Home Care 
• Child Care Payment Compliance
• Community Support Payments
• Child Care Inclusion and Professional Support Program
• Important Information for Grandparent Carers    
• Quality Child Care