Changing Childcare Centres: What to Re-check for CCS
Switching childcare centres is more involved than it might appear. Your CCS percentage travels with you — but your weekly costs can change significantly depending on the new centre's fees, session structure, and service type. There is also an enrolment confirmation step in myGov that trips up many families, sometimes delaying CCS payments for weeks.
This guide covers what stays the same, what can change, and what to check before and after you switch.
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What stays the same
Your CCS percentage is based on your family's combined Adjusted Taxable Income (ATI). It does not change when you switch providers. A family receiving 75% CCS at one centre will still be entitled to 75% at the next.
Your hours entitlement also stays the same. The 72 or 100 subsidised hours per fortnight you are approved for is attached to your family, not your centre.
What can change — and often does
- The daily fee — this is the most obvious variable, but its effect on your out-of-pocket gap is often underestimated (see below)
- The session length — a centre charging 10-hour sessions vs 12-hour sessions will exhaust your subsidised hours at different rates
- The service type — if you switch from Centre Based Day Care (CBDC) to Family Day Care (FDC), the CCS hourly cap changes
- What's included in the fee — meals, nappies, sunscreen, and excursion levies vary significantly between centres
Why fee differences matter more than they look
The most common mistake families make when comparing centres is looking at the daily fee in isolation.
What actually determines your out-of-pocket cost is the interaction between the daily fee, the CCS hourly cap, and your CCS percentage.
Example: switching from a $140/day centre to a $160/day centre
Both centres charge 10-hour sessions. The CCS hourly cap for CBDC (under school age) is $14.63/hr — so the cap per 10-hour session is $146.30.
At the $140 centre, the fee is below the cap. CCS applies to the full fee.
At the $160 centre, the fee is above the cap by $13.70 per day ($160 − $146.30). That $13.70 is not subsidised at all — you pay it in full on top of your regular gap.
For a family on 80% CCS attending 4 days per week:
| $140/day centre | $160/day centre | |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly fees | $560 | $640 |
| CCS subsidy | $448 | $466.40 |
| Above-cap amount | $0 | $54.80 |
| Weekly gap | $112 | $227.60 |
The daily fee increased by $20, but the weekly out-of-pocket gap more than doubled. This is the above-cap trap — and it is very common when switching to a premium centre in a high-cost area.
See Childcare Fees Above the Hourly Cap for a full breakdown of how the cap works.
The enrolment confirmation step most families miss
When you start at a new centre, CCS does not flow automatically. The process is:
- Your new provider submits an enrolment notice to Services Australia via the government childcare system
- You receive a notification in your myGov inbox asking you to confirm the enrolment
- You must actively confirm it in myGov — it does not auto-approve
- Once confirmed, CCS begins flowing to the new provider
If you do not confirm the enrolment in myGov, CCS will not be paid. Some families wait several weeks before realising the confirmation step is outstanding. During this time, they are paying full fees.
What to do: Log in to myGov immediately after your child's first session at the new centre and check for a pending enrolment confirmation under your Child Care Subsidy section. Do not assume it will resolve itself.
Also check that the enrolment details match your Centrelink record exactly — name spelling, date of birth, and CRN (Customer Reference Number) must all match what the provider has submitted. Mismatches can hold up confirmation.
Pre-switch checklist
Fees and costs
- What is the new centre's daily fee and how many hours does each session cover?
- What is the hourly rate? (divide daily fee by session hours)
- Does that rate exceed the applicable CCS hourly cap?
- What extras are charged separately (meals, nappies, excursions)?
Entitlement
- Is your hours entitlement (72 or 100 hrs/fortnight) sufficient for the days you plan to attend?
- Does the new centre's session length change how quickly you exhaust your entitlement?
Enrolment
- What is the new centre's start date and onboarding process?
- How do you provide your CRN and your child's CRN to the new provider?
- What notice period does the old centre require?
Subsidy continuity
- Have you confirmed the enrolment in myGov after your child's first session?
- Do your details in myGov match exactly what the new provider has on file?
Does Centrelink need to be notified?
You do not need to separately notify Centrelink that you are changing providers. The enrolment system handles this — your new provider submits the enrolment, and you confirm it in myGov.
However, if your income or activity hours are also changing at the time of the switch, update those details in myGov separately. And if your child is switching to a different service type (for example, starting school-age care), check whether that affects any other entitlements.
Key takeaways
- Your CCS percentage and hours entitlement are portable — they do not change when you switch centres
- The new centre's fee and session length determine your actual out-of-pocket cost — don't compare daily fees without accounting for the hourly cap
- Switching service types (CBDC to FDC) changes the applicable hourly cap
- You must confirm the new enrolment in myGov before CCS flows through — it does not auto-approve
- Check that your details match exactly between myGov and the new provider to avoid confirmation delays
- Give the old centre proper notice and factor notice period costs into your timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for CCS to start at a new provider?
Once you confirm the enrolment in myGov, CCS typically appears in payments within one to two weeks — it processes on the standard CCS payment cycle. If it has been more than two weeks since you confirmed, check that your child's details match your Centrelink record and contact Centrelink on 136 150 if needed.
Can I be receiving CCS at two centres at the same time?
Yes — if your child genuinely attends two different centres (for example, a long day care and a family day care on different days), CCS can apply at both. Your hours entitlement is shared across all providers. The combined hours across both centres must stay within your approved fortnight limit for CCS to apply to all of them.
What if I switch and the new centre's fees are above the hourly cap?
CCS applies up to the applicable hourly cap. Any fee above the cap is charged directly to you at 100% — no subsidy. Run the CCS Checker before switching to model your actual weekly gap at the new centre's rate.
Do I need to give notice to the old centre in writing?
Most enrolment agreements require written notice — typically two to four weeks. Check your agreement. Fees are usually charged during the notice period regardless of attendance, as the place is still being held.
What is a CRN and where do I find it?
A CRN (Customer Reference Number) is the unique number Services Australia uses to identify you and each of your children in the welfare system. Your CRN is on any letter from Centrelink, in your myGov profile, or via your Medicare card (for child CRNs). Your new provider needs both your CRN and your child's CRN to submit the enrolment.
This is general guidance only. For personalised advice, contact Services Australia at 136 150 or visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-care-subsidy.