Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS)
The Additional Child Care Subsidy is extra help on top of the standard subsidy for families going through a difficult time: a child who needs wellbeing support, grandparents raising grandchildren on income support, families hit by sudden financial hardship, and parents moving from income support into work. In most cases it covers the whole fee. This page explains each category, what it pays and how to get it.
This guide is for families who may need more help than the standard subsidy gives, and for grandparents and carers who want to know what they are entitled to. It sets out what ACCS is, the four categories, how the payment rates differ from standard CCS and how each is applied for. If your situation is sensitive, you can also talk to us privately; we are here to help, not to judge.
For how the standard subsidy works, read our guide to the Child Care Subsidy.
What ACCS is
Additional Child Care Subsidy is an Australian Government payment for families in challenging circumstances, paid on top of the standard subsidy straight to your childcare service. You must be eligible for standard CCS first. ACCS then raises your subsidy, usually to the full fee, for a set period or while your circumstances last, depending on which of the four categories applies.
Child wellbeing
For a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse or neglect, or in formal out-of-home care. The centre applies.
Grandparent
For grandparents on income support who are the main carer of a grandchild. No time limit.
Temporary financial hardship
For families hit by a sudden event, such as losing a job or a partner, in the last six months. Up to 13 weeks per event.
Transition to work
For parents on income support moving into work, study or training, with family income under $88,520.
ACCS has no annual cap, no 5% withholding and is not balanced at the end of the financial year, which makes it simpler to live with than standard CCS.
Families sometimes worry that asking for ACCS will count against them. It will not. It exists precisely so children can keep attending care through a hard patch, and applying has no effect on your child's place with us.
You can apply for it at the same time as your first CCS claim, or later if circumstances change.
Source: Department of Education, Additional Child Care Subsidy.
Child wellbeing category
The child wellbeing subsidy helps families caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of serious harm, abuse or neglect, including children in formal out-of-home care or kinship placements and children in the care of the state. Unlike the other categories, families cannot apply for it; the childcare service applies on the family's behalf, after talking with them and making a referral to an appropriate support service.
A service can issue a certificate giving immediate access for up to six weeks per child in any 12 months. Longer support needs a determination from the Department of Education.
It covers up to 100 hours of care a fortnight and, in most cases, the full fee.
The point is to keep a vulnerable child in regular, safe care while other supports are put in place. Childcare can be one of the most stable parts of a child's week.
If you think your family could be eligible, talk to our centre director privately. The conversation stays confidential, and our focus is on your child's wellbeing.
If the subsidy runs for six months or longer, the child can continue to receive 100 subsidised hours for up to 18 months after it stops, assessed case by case.
Child wellbeing at a glance
- Who applies
- The childcare service
- Hours
- Up to 100 a fortnight
- First period
- Certificate, up to 6 weeks
- Longer
- Department determination
Safe, steady careGrandparent category
The grandparent subsidy is for grandparents who receive an income support payment and are the main carer of their grandchild, with at least 65% of care and responsibility for day-to-day decisions. It gives 100 hours of subsidised care a fortnight, usually covering the whole fee, and has no time limit as long as the circumstances continue.
Great-grandparents count, as do grandparents related through adoption, step-parents including former step-parents, de facto relationships, artificial conception or surrogacy.
Grandparents who have 65% care but no income support payment are not eligible for this category, but they receive standard CCS on their income with 100 subsidised hours a fortnight.
You do not need to meet any work or study requirement.
Tell Services Australia promptly if care arrangements or your payment change. Our guide to childcare help for grandparents and kinship carers goes into more detail.
Grandparent checklist
- Eligible for CCS
- On an income support payment
- 65% or more care
- Day-to-day decision maker
No time limitTemporary financial hardship
The temporary financial hardship subsidy helps families whose ability to pay childcare fees has dropped sharply because of a specific event in the last six months. It covers up to 100 hours a fortnight, usually the whole fee, for up to 13 weeks per event, giving families breathing space to get back on their feet.
Qualifying events include the death of a partner or child, losing a job other than by resigning or retiring, a business failure or loss of income beyond your control, and losing child support because the paying parent died.
Being affected by a major disaster, having your home destroyed or badly damaged, or having to leave home because of an extreme circumstance also count.
Family and domestic violence counts, including when the person responsible leaves or is removed from the home.
Everyday pressures do not qualify, such as routine repairs, non-essential spending or a rise in childcare fees.
More than one event can be claimed if each happened in the last six months.
Hardship at a glance
- Event
- In the last 6 months
- Hours
- Up to 100 a fortnight
- Length
- Up to 13 weeks per event
- Apply
- Through Centrelink
Breathing spaceTransition to work
The transition to work subsidy helps parents on income support take up work, study or training by covering most of their childcare cost. Families must have income under $88,520, receive an eligible payment such as Parenting Payment, JobSeeker or Youth Allowance, and have an active Job Plan or Participation Plan if their payment requires one.
Other eligible payments include the Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment, Special Benefit, Austudy, Farm Household Allowance and means-tested ABSTUDY.
It pays 95% of the fee, up to 95% of the hourly rate cap, rather than the full fee.
Subsidised hours depend on your participation, with a minimum of 72 a fortnight since January 2026.
Time limits differ depending on whether you are working, studying, training or looking for work. Services Australia confirms the limit that applies to you.
For parents returning to study or starting a first job after years at home, it can make the difference between saying yes to an opportunity and turning it down.
Transition to work at a glance
- Income
- Under $88,520
- Payment
- Eligible income support
- Rate
- 95%, up to 95% of the cap
- Hours
- 72 or more a fortnight
A step forwardHow rates differ from standard CCS
Standard CCS pays a percentage of your fee based on income, up to $15.19 an hour. The child wellbeing, grandparent and hardship categories instead pay 100% of the fee, up to 120% of the cap, which is $18.23 an hour in 2026 to 27. Transition to work pays 95%, up to 95% of the cap. On a $170 day at Lead, that means a gap of nothing in three categories and $11.26 in the fourth.
| Type | Rate rule | Subsidy per day | Your gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard CCS at 90% | 90% of fee, capped at $15.19 an hour | $150.38 | $19.62 |
| Child wellbeing, grandparent, hardship | 100% of fee, up to $18.23 an hour | $170.00 | $0.00 |
| Transition to work | 95% of fee, capped at 95% of $15.19 | $158.74 | $11.26 |
Our hourly fee of about $15.45 sits below the higher $18.23 limit, so the full daily fee is covered in the first three categories. At a centre charging more than $18.23 an hour, a small gap would remain.
The 100 hours a fortnight cover four 11-hour days a week with 12 hours spare. A fifth regular day would be partly charged at the full fee.
To compare with your standard CCS gap, try our childcare cost estimator.
How to apply
For the grandparent, temporary financial hardship and transition to work categories, you apply through your Centrelink online account in myGov, or at a Centrelink office, and provide supporting documents. For child wellbeing, your childcare service applies for you. In every case you must already have, or be claiming, standard CCS.
If you do not yet receive CCS, you can claim it and ACCS together. Claim as soon as you can, because the child wellbeing subsidy cannot be applied until you are receiving CCS.
Supporting documents depend on the category, such as proof of care arrangements for grandparents or evidence of the event for hardship.
Tell Services Australia if your circumstances change while you receive ACCS, for example a new job, a change in care arrangements or the end of a hardship period, so payments stay correct.
Our team can help you understand what to ask for. Call (02) 7238 8668, speak to the centre director at drop-off, or start at our St Ives centre home page.
Who applies
- Child wellbeing
- The service
- Grandparent
- You, via Centrelink
- Hardship
- You, via Centrelink
- Transition to work
- You, via Centrelink
We can helpAdditional Child Care Subsidy, answered
Can ACCS cover the full fee?+
Yes, in the child wellbeing, grandparent and temporary financial hardship categories ACCS usually covers the full fee, paying 100% up to 120% of the hourly rate cap for up to 100 hours a fortnight. At Lead, that covers our full $170 day. Transition to work pays 95%, so a small gap remains.
How long does ACCS last?+
It depends on the category. The grandparent subsidy has no time limit while you remain eligible. Temporary financial hardship lasts up to 13 weeks per event. Child wellbeing starts with a certificate of up to six weeks and can be extended by the Department. Transition to work limits depend on your activity.
Who applies, me or the centre?+
You apply yourself, through Centrelink, for the grandparent, temporary financial hardship and transition to work categories. For child wellbeing, the centre applies on your behalf after talking with you; families cannot apply for it directly. Either way, you must be eligible for standard CCS first.
Talk to us in confidence
If money or family circumstances are making care hard, our director can talk you through the options.