From 5 January 2026, all CCS eligible families can get at least 72 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight.

What is the 3-Day Guarantee?

From 5th of January 2026, the Australian Government is introducing the 3-Day Childcare Guarantee, giving families 72 hours of subsidised early learning every fortnight — that’s equivalent to three days a week for every child in approved care.

This new initiative removes the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Activity Test, which previously required families to meet work, study, or volunteering requirements. With the 3-Day Guarantee, families will be able to access subsidised care without having to meet activity requirements for the first 72 hours.

What This Means for Families

The 3-Day Guarantee will make early learning more accessible, inclusive, and affordable; especially for those who were previously restricted by activity-based rules.

What Families need to know

All Child Care Subsidy (CCS)-eligible families earning under $533,280 / year will automatically receive 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight , this equates to 3 days per week .
First Nations families will continue to receive up to 100 subsidised hours per fortnight
Families who already receive more than 72 hours based on activity can keep their current entitlements
The activity test is removed for these hours — no need to prove work, study, or volunteering hours to access the first 72 hours of care
Eligible Families can get 100 hours of subsidised child care each fortnight for each child if they

Eligible Families can get 100 hours of subsidised child care each fortnight for each child if they:

have an exemption or experience exceptional circumstances, or
receive Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) child wellbeing, temporary financial hardship or grandparent payments.

This reform promotes equity in early education, making high-quality care more accessible to children during key developmental years.

Key Benefits

72 subsidised care hours per child each fortnight
No activity test needed for these hours
Up to 100 hours for eligible families (e.g. First Nations, high activity)
Families may save up to $11,400 per year
Easier access for families with flexible or changing work patterns
More children accessing early learning & school readiness programs

Estimated Savings

According to the Department of Education, families will experience significant cost-of-living relief under the new system. Here’s what the savings could look like for a family using 3 days of care per week (36 hours), 50 weeks per year.

Annual Household Income	Weekly Savings	Annual Savings
$90,000	$230	$11,400
$120,000	$220	$11,400
$140,000	$200	$10,110

Estimates based on average 2025–26 Centre-Based Day Care fees.

What are the changes for First Nations children?

Additional Support for First Nations Families

Families caring for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children may receive up to 100 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight, regardless of activity hours.

To access the full 100 hours, families simply need to let Services Australia know via their Centrelink online account. Sharing this information is voluntary, however without it, families will receive the standard 72 subsidised hours per fortnight.

Where can families find more information?

Families can visit the Services Australia website to:

Fact Sheet