The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Helpdesk will close for the 2021-22 Christmas/New Year period. Here’s what you need to know about session reports, attendances, absences and service closures.
The CCS Helpdesk will close from 12.30pm (AEDT) on Friday 24 December 2021 and reopen at 10am (AEDT) on Tuesday 4 January 2022.
If you need help during this period, please refer to our resources for providers.
Please note, if anything changes in your area we will provide more information on our website and through our email newsletter.
Session reports and payment dates
Data submitted to the Child Care Subsidy System will be processed throughout the Christmas and New Year period. You will be able to view the data through your third-party software or the Provider Entry Point (PEP).
Session reports submitted on the following dates may experience short delays in processing or payment due to public holidays:
- Thursday 23 December 2021
- Friday 24 December 2021
- Saturday 25 December 2021
- Monday 27 December 2021
- Tuesday 28 December 2021
- Monday 3 January 2022
Temporary change of circumstances
You must tell us within 14 days if you close your service or change your operating hours over the holiday period.
This is a requirement under Family Assistance Law. Penalties may apply if you fail to let us know within the specified timeframe.
You can tell us about the above changes through your third-party software provider or the PEP. If you need help in the PEP, refer to the how to update organisation details in PEP task card. Contact your software provider for help with your third-party software.
More information is in the Child Care Provider Handbook.
Closing early on Christmas Eve
If your service is closing early on 24 December 2021, you must report shorter sessions of care. This can be done either via the Provider Entry Point (PEP) or your third party software.
Reporting attendances and absences
You must only submit session reports for the hours you are open and providing care, unless it is a public holiday, there is a local emergency, or until 30 June 2022, you are closed on health advice from a government agency due to COVID-19.
You cannot report attendances for days that your service is closed. You can only report attendances for sessions of care that a child was present.
Gap fee waiving
Services can waive the gap fee and receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) if a child is unable to attend care because:
- They, or a member of their immediate household, must isolate due to COVID-19. This applies from 9 November 2021.
- The service, or a room at the service, is closed on advice from the state or territory government due to COVID-19. This applies for the duration of the closure outlined in the advice.
- The state or territory has restricted access to child care in a region due to COVID-19. This applies from the first day the restrictions are in force.
Additional absences
A public holiday is not an additional absence reason. A child is only eligible for additional absences on a public holiday if all of the following apply:
- the 52 initial absence days in the 2021–22 financial year have been used
- it is a day the child normally attends care
- you have charged a fee
- one of the additional absence reasons applies (e.g. sickness), and
- written evidence supports the additional absence reason (e.g. a medical certificate).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all families receive an extra 10 allowable absences for the 2021–22 financial year. This brings the total number of allowable absences available to 52.
This is in addition to the extra allowable absences provided during lockdowns and when access to child care was restricted.
Services that close over the holiday period
You may make a business decision to charge families over a Christmas shutdown period. Families are not entitled to Child Care Subsidy (CCS) for the days your service is closed.
However, you can report absences and receive CCS for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day public holidays if:
- the family has been charged a fee for those days, and
- the public holiday falls on a day that the child would normally be in care.
Please refer to your state guidelines regarding public holidays.
The below table explains the circumstances in which you can report an absence when closed.
| Date | Status | Can CCS be paid for an allowable absence? |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 24 December 2021 | Closed | No |
| Saturday, 25 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Sunday, 26 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Monday, 27 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Tuesday, 28 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Wednesday, 29 December 2021 | Closed | No |
| Thursday, 30 December 2021 | Closed | No |
| Friday, 31 December 2021 | Closed | No |
| Saturday, 1 January 2022 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Sunday, 2 January 2022 | Closed | No |
| Monday, 3 January 2022 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
Services that only close for public holidays
If you provide care over the Christmas and New Year period and only close for public holidays, attendances and absences should be reported as usual. Please refer to your state guidelines regarding public holidays.
The below table explains the circumstances in which you can report an absence.
| Date | Status | Can CCS be paid for an allowable absence on this day? |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 24 December 2021 | Open | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Saturday, 25 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Sunday, 26 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Monday, 27 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Tuesday, 28 December 2021 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Wednesday, 29 December 2021 | Open | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Thursday, 30 December 2021 | Open | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Friday, 31 December 2021 | Open | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Saturday, 1 January 2022 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Sunday, 2 January 2022 | Open | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |
| Monday, 3 January 2022 | Closed for public holiday | Yes, if the child would normally have attended on this day and if fees are charged |