First Nations children move to 100 subsidised hours of care per fortnight

From Monday, 5 January 2026, families can access 100 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight for each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child in their care, under changes to the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).

The Department of Education says the 100-hour entitlement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children applies regardless of a family’s level of recognised participation.

Services Australia says families will still pay an out-of-pocket amount to their child care service, depending on their CCS percentage.

The broader change (applying to all CCS-eligible families) is the introduction of a minimum entitlement of 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, described by the Australian Government as the “3 Day Guarantee”.

Services Australia says CCS-eligible families can receive 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight in some circumstances, including where a family meets participation requirements or has a valid exemption.

The Department of Education directs families to Services Australia for claims and family-facing guidance, while the department’s provider information sets out how services administer CCS under the new rules.

Early childhood regulator ACECQA notes the guarantee relates to subsidised hours, and that enrolments still depend on provider availability.