What is the CCS 26-week cessation of care rule?

If a child has no CCS-approved childcare sessions for 26 consecutive weeks, Centrelink cancels the Child Care Subsidy for that child. The family must re-enrol and re-establish CCS eligibility before the subsidy can resume.

What happens after 26 weeks with no childcare sessions?

CCS is automatically cancelled after 26 weeks of inactivity. You will not receive a warning before this happens. You need to contact your childcare provider to re-enrol and then contact Services Australia to confirm your CCS eligibility for the new enrolment.

How do I restart CCS after the 26-week rule cancels it?

Contact your childcare centre to create a new enrolment for your child. The centre will submit the enrolment to Centrelink. Once the enrolment is confirmed, CCS can be reactivated. You may need to re-confirm your activity test details and income estimate.

Does taking a long holiday trigger the 26-week rule?

Absences (approved or unapproved) still count as session activity for CCS purposes. The 26-week rule only applies when there are zero sessions billed. A long holiday with the child still enrolled will not trigger the cessation rule, but you may exhaust your 42 initial absence days.

The 26-Week CCS Rule: Cessation of Care

5 min read Updated 2 March 2026

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If a child doesn't attend a session of care for 26 consecutive weeks, CCS is automatically cancelled for that enrolment. This catches many families off-guard after parental leave, extended school holidays, or a gap between switching services.

Understanding the "Cessation of Care" rules is vital for families planning an extended break from childcare, as losing your enrolment can lead to unexpected full-fee bills and administrative headaches when you try to return.

What the 26-week rule actually says

Under the Family Assistance Law, a Child Care Subsidy enrolment is deemed to have "ceased" if no sessions of care are reported for a continuous period of 26 weeks.

When an enrolment ceases:

The connection between your Centrelink account and the childcare provider is severed.
Any future sessions will not be subsidised until a new enrolment is created and confirmed.
You may need to re-submit your activity test details.
You risk a gap in subsidy because CCS generally cannot be backdated effectively for a ceased enrolment that hasn't been re-confirmed.

When does the clock start?

The 26-week countdown starts from the last session of care reported by your provider.

It is important to note that a provider reporting "zero hours" sessions (for example, if you are keeping a spot but not attending) does NOT reset the clock. To reset the 26-week timer, there must be an actual session of care where attendance (or a valid allowable absence) is claimed and processed.

Common scenarios that trigger the 26-week rule

Second Maternity Leave / PPL: This is the most common trap. If you pull your eldest child out of care for the duration of a second pregnancy and the subsequent Paid Parental Leave period, you will almost certainly pass the 26-week mark.
The Preschool-to-School Gap: Families using Family Day Care (FDC) or Long Day Care (LDC) for a 4-year-old who then takes a long break before starting school prep or After School Care.
Extended Holiday Breaks: If a family travels overseas or relocates for 6 months, the enrolment will cancel automatically.
Switching Services: If you leave one centre in December and don't start at a new centre until July, the old enrolment will cease, and the "gap" means you must ensure the new centre's enrolment is fully processed before care begins.

How to avoid losing your enrolment

If you plan to be away for an extended period but want to keep your CCS active:

Check with your provider: Ask how many weeks they allow for absences and whether they will keep your enrolment open.
The "One Session" Strategy: Attending even one session every 5 months is technically enough to reset the 26-week clock and keep the enrolment active.
Occasional Care: If you are on parental leave, consider keeping your child in for one day a fortnight or one session of occasional care. This preserves the enrolment and can be beneficial for the child's social continuity.
Discuss Cessation Risk: High-quality centres will often flag "cessation of care" risks with parents when they notice a child hasn't attended for several months.

What to do if your CCS was cancelled

If you hit the 26-week limit and your enrolment is cancelled:

Re-apply via myGov: You will likely need to go back into your Centrelink online account and navigate to the Child Care Subsidy section to restart the claim process.
Confirm the Enrolment: Your childcare provider must submit a new enrolment notice. You then must log in to myGov to "confirm" this enrolment.
Activity Test: You may be asked to update your activity test (work/study hours) as Centrelink assumes your circumstances may have changed during the 6-month break.
Expect Wait Times: Processing a "re-start" can take 2 to 4 weeks. If your child starts care before this is finalised, you will be charged full fees by the centre and receive the subsidy as a back-payment later (if eligible).

The 3-Day Guarantee and the 26-week rule

The 3-Day Guarantee (since January 2026) ensures that families with very low activity hours still receive a minimum of 72 subsidised hours per fortnight.

While this makes it easier for stay-at-home parents to access care, it does not override the 26-week rule. Even if you are entitled to the 3-Day Guarantee, you must still use at least one of those subsidised sessions every 26 weeks to keep the account from being cancelled for "cessation of care."

Key Takeaways

Enrolments are cancelled after 26 weeks of no reported attendance.
Zero-hour reports do not reset the 26-week timer.
Cancellation means you must re-apply and re-confirm through myGov.
Parental leave is the most common time families lose their CCS enrolment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 26-week rule apply during parental leave?

Yes. Centrelink does not give a "pass" for parental leave. If the child doesn't attend care for 26 weeks while you are home with a newborn, the enrolment will cease.

Can I keep one day per fortnight to preserve my enrolment?

Yes. Using care once a fortnight (or even once a month) is a very effective way to keep your CCS enrolment active and avoid the hassle of re-applying.

How long does it take to restart CCS after cessation?

Usually 2 to 4 weeks, but it can be longer during peak periods (like January/February). It is always best to start the re-application process at least a month before you intend to return to care.