Can I enrol my child before my CCS is approved?

You can start the enrolment process, but you'll pay full fees until your CCS assessment and the Complying Written Arrangement with the centre are both finalised, after which subsidised amounts may be backdated in some cases.

What is the activity test and does it affect which centre I choose?

The activity test measures your (and your partner's) recognised hours of work, study, or approved activity, and it determines how many subsidised hours you get. It does not limit which CCS-approved centre you can attend.

Do all centres in Redland Bay handle the Complying Written Arrangement the same way?

The form itself is standard, but how quickly a centre processes it varies, so ask at enrolment how long it typically takes for subsidised fees to start applying.

Getting Child Care Subsidy paperwork sorted before you enrol

Being approved to accept the Child Care Subsidy is one thing for a centre; getting your own family's subsidy correctly assessed and linked to your enrolment is a separate task that catches out a lot of first-time and returning parents. This is a distinct step from choosing a CCS-approved centre, and it happens before or alongside enrolment paperwork.

Confirm your family's CCS percentage and activity test result through Centrelink/Services Australia before your child's start date
Understand that the subsidy is paid to the centre on your behalf, not to you directly, so your out-of-pocket gap fee depends on your assessed rate
Complete the Complying Written Arrangement with the centre, which is required for the subsidy to apply to your sessions
Update Centrelink promptly if your work hours or activity level changes, since this affects your subsidised hours going forward

Centres approved for CCS can usually walk you through the enrolment-side paperwork, but the eligibility assessment itself sits with Centrelink, not the centre.

What it costs

There's no cost to apply for or update your CCS assessment through Centrelink. Your actual gap fee (the difference between the centre's daily fee and your subsidy amount) depends on your family income, activity level, and the specific centre's rates, which vary across Redland Bay providers.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for child care subsidy approved.

1. Grasshoppers Early Learning Centre - Hoppers
5.0★ · 46 reviews

88
2. Sparrow Early Learning Victoria Point
5.0★ · 20 reviews

84
3. Little Scholars Redland Bay
4.8★ · 27 reviews

80

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FAQ

Can I enrol my child before my CCS is approved?: You can start the enrolment process, but you'll pay full fees until your CCS assessment and the Complying Written Arrangement with the centre are both finalised, after which subsidised amounts may be backdated in some cases.
What is the activity test and does it affect which centre I choose?: The activity test measures your (and your partner's) recognised hours of work, study, or approved activity, and it determines how many subsidised hours you get. It does not limit which CCS-approved centre you can attend.
Do all centres in Redland Bay handle the Complying Written Arrangement the same way?: The form itself is standard, but how quickly a centre processes it varies, so ask at enrolment how long it typically takes for subsidised fees to start applying.

Your inquiry may be shared with partner providers who can do the work, and we may receive a referral fee. Our rankings and scores are based on our published scoring method only, and referral fees do not influence them.