From 5 January 2026, all CCS-eligible families will be entitled to at least three days of subsidised early learning each week, regardless of activity levels.
As a CCS-approved early learning centre, Juniors Journey welcomes this change with open arms. We believe it supports a fairer early education system where children aren’t held back by cost or other circumstances.
Here, we explain what the 3-Day Guarantee involves, why it’s important and how it can help your family.
Key changes
- CCS-eligible families will get at least 72 hours of subsidised care each fortnight.
- Families caring for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child will receive 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight.
- The Activity Test will no longer apply to families receiving these minimum entitlements.
What is the 3-Day Guarantee?
The 3-Day Guarantee in Australia is a Federal Government policy update designed to make early learning more consistent and accessible for CCS-eligible families.
It replaces the CCS Activity Test up to a certain threshold, setting a baseline number of subsidised hours for early education and childcare. That way, children can avail of a steady routine, even when their parents have limited or unpredictable work hours.
Here’s what you can expect:
- A minimum of 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight for every CCS-eligible child. This gives families the equivalent of three days of early learning each week at their usual subsidised rate.
- Up to 100 hours per fortnight for families caring for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child, no matter how many hours of recognised activity parents complete.
- Continued access to 100 subsidised hours per fortnight for families who already meet the recognised activity requirements or qualify for an exemption.
Importantly, the guarantee doesn’t change your CCS percentage or the way your gap fee is calculated.
Instead, it gives families more stable, affordable access to early education. While enrolment still depends on available places at your preferred childcare provider, you can be confident that you’re now entitled to the hours your family needs.
Why it matters for Australian families
The 3 Day Guarantee is a meaningful step toward giving every child in Australia a fair start in life. By ensuring families can access at least three days of subsidised early learning each week, it opens the door to stronger school readiness, more stability for parents, and a more inclusive early learning system overall.
This policy change follows the Productivity Commission’s recent recommendations, which made it clear that the old Activity Test was unintentionally holding back the families who needed support the most.
Many children from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds were missing out on the social and learning benefits of early education simply because their parents didn’t meet the previous eligibility rules.
With that barrier gone, more children can spend valuable time in early learning environments where they can foster confidence, connect with others, and develop the skills they’ll carry into primary school.
Parents also gain more breathing room, whether that’s extra hours to work, study, or manage the day-to-day demands of family life.
The impact will be felt quickly. Over the first full financial year, it’s estimated that more than 100,000 families will qualify for additional subsidised hours, and approximately 66,700 families will be better off financially, saving on average around $1,370 each year.
How it affects your family
The 3-Day Guarantee raises the minimum level of support without lowering the maximum, making early learning more accessible for families who previously faced the steepest barriers.
Parents who previously received very limited subsidised hours — like stay-at-home parents or those working only a few hours a week — will now be able to access three days of subsidised early learning each week. Instead of paying full fees for extra days, those days will now be covered at your regular CCS rate.
Importantly, nothing changes for families who already receive the maximum entitlement. If you currently qualify for 100 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, you’ll keep receiving that amount.
The reform doesn’t reduce anyone’s subsidy; it just ensures that families who were receiving 0, 24, or 36 hours per fortnight will now get at least 72 hours.
Entitlements for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children
Under the 3-Day Guarantee, families caring for a First Nations child can access 100 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight, no matter how many hours of recognised activity are completed.
This ensures First Nations children have reliable access to early learning environments that support connection, confidence, and school readiness.
To receive the full 100 hours, your family needs to let Services Australia know that you care for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child. This information can be added or updated at any time through a Centrelink online account.
It’s up to you if you want to share this information. If you decide not to update your details, your child will instead receive 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight.
Examples of the 3-Day Guarantee’s positive impact
Example 1: More support for families with unpredictable work
Before the 3-Day Guarantee
Tom works casual shifts that change every week. His partner, Mel, stays home with their two-year-old daughter, Isla.
Because Mel isn’t doing recognised activity hours, their family only qualified for 24 subsidised hours per fortnight. This meant they often had to pay full fees if they needed an extra day of care.
After the 3-Day Guarantee
Tom and Mel will be able to access 72 subsidised hours per fortnight for Isla, even if Mel isn’t working or studying.
This gives them predictable, affordable access to early learning and helps Isla attend more regularly.
Example 2: More consistency for families balancing multiple children
Before the 3-Day Guarantee
Rachel is caring for three children under school age and works a small number of casual hours.
Because her activity level is low, her youngest child, Noah, only received 36 subsidised hours per fortnight, while his siblings were already attending school.
After the 3-Day Guarantee
Noah will now receive 72 subsidised hours per fortnight, giving Rachel the breathing room she needs to manage appointments, school drop-offs and her casual work.
Noah also benefits from more consistent early learning, social play and a stronger routine.
Example 3: Greater access for families working towards new career goals
Before the 3-Day Guarantee
Aisha is studying part-time to retrain after a career break. Her recognised activity hours aren’t high enough to unlock more subsidised care.
Therefore, her son, Rafi, only receives 24 subsidised hours per fortnight. This often limits Aisha’s ability to attend extra classes or take on a practical placement.
After the 3-Day Guarantee
Aisha will be entitled to 72 subsidised hours per fortnight, giving Rafi more consistent early learning while freeing up time for Aisha to focus on her study goals.
FAQs
How does the 3-Day Guarantee differ from the original Child Care Subsidy?
Under the original CCS rules, the number of subsidised hours you receive depends on an Activity Test. This test looks at how many hours you spend working, studying, training or doing other recognised activities. If you don’t meet these requirements, you may only receive 24 hours of subsidised care each fortnight.
The 3-Day Guarantee removes this barrier. Every child who is eligible for CCS will receive at least 72 hours of subsidised early childhood education and care each fortnight, no matter their parents’ activity levels or employment situation.
Nothing else about CCS changes — your subsidy rate stays the same, and all other eligibility criteria remain in place.
Do all families qualify for subsidised care under the 3-Day Guarantee?
No. The 3-Day Guarantee is only available to families who meet the standard Child Care Subsidy (CCS) eligibility rules. To access it, you must:
- Have a household income below $535,279, and
- Meet Australian residency requirements
In short, if you’re eligible for CCS now, you’ll generally be eligible for the 3-Day Guarantee.
What if I need more than 72 CCS-subsidised hours of childcare?
If your family needs more than the guaranteed 72 hours of subsidised care each fortnight, you may still be able to access up to 100 hours per child under the CCS.
Higher subsidised hours are available if your family meets certain criteria, including:
- Caring for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander child
- Having more than 48 hours of recognised activity each fortnight, such as work, study or training
- Holding an approved exemption or experiencing exceptional circumstances
- Receiving Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS), including child wellbeing, temporary financial hardship or grandparent payments
Will my family qualify for the 3 days of subsidised childcare each week if I’m a stay-at-home parent?
Yes. You do not need to be working, studying or meeting any activity requirements to receive the 3-Day Guarantee.
That’s the core purpose of the change: to ensure every eligible child can access up to 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, regardless of their parents’ employment situation.
All eligible families will automatically receive the equivalent of three days of subsidised childcare each week, even if you’re:
- A stay-at-home parent
- On parental leave
- Between jobsWorking casual or minimal hours
- Caring for other children or family members
Does this increase my CCS rebate percentage or just the hours?
The 3-Day Guarantee increases the hours of subsidised care you can receive, not your subsidy percentage.
Your subsidy percentage (the portion of childcare fees the Government pays) will continue to be based on your household income and other CCS rules, just as it is now.
The key change is that the Activity Test will no longer apply to the first 72 hours of care each fortnight. This means you may receive more subsidised hours than before, but your rebate rate will stay the same.
Do I need to do anything for this update to apply to my family?
No. If you currently receive fewer than 72 subsidised hours per fortnight under the CCS, your eligible hours will automatically increase to 72 hours per fortnight from 5 January 2026. Services Australia will update your entitlement based on the information they already have on file, so you won’t be asked to provide extra documents or complete new forms.
For families applying for CCS for the first time after 5 January 2026 — or for existing families updating their details — the 3-Day Guarantee will be included in your entitlement.
Therefore, no action is required unless you need more than 72 hours of subsidised care. In this case, you should ensure your recognised activity hours are up to date.
Do childcare providers have to offer three days of care per week for every child?
No. The 3-Day Guarantee does not require childcare providers to offer three days of care to every child. It only relates to the subsidy, not the availability of places.
Families must still secure a place with their chosen service, and standard enrolment processes remain the same.
If you’re hoping to increase your child’s attendance from January 2026, please speak with the team at Juniors Journey. We’ll do our best to plan for your needs.
Do I have to book 3 days of childcare every week to receive the subsidy?
No. The 3-Day Guarantee provides 72 subsidised hours per fortnight, not a fixed three-day booking requirement.
For instance, your child might attend two days one week and four days the next, or any other combination that fits within the 72-hour allowance.
This gives you the flexibility to choose the pattern of care that best suits your family’s routine.
Will I have to pay childcare fees for the 3 days?
Yes. While the guarantee reduces out-of-pocket costs for many families, it does not replace the need to pay fees to your provider.
In other words, it increases the number of subsidised hours a child can receive, but families will still need to pay the gap fee. This is the difference between your CCS subsidy amount and your childcare service’s daily fee.
How much will this change cost the government?
The Australian Government has committed $426.7 million over five years from 2024–25 to introduce the 3-Day Guarantee.
This investment covers both the increased subsidy entitlement and the implementation work required by Services Australia to update CCS systems and processes.
Discover subsidised childhood education and care with Juniors Journey
At its core, the 3-Day Guarantee is built on a simple belief: every child deserves the chance to learn, play and grow in a supportive early learning environment. With more families now able to access subsidised hours, it’s easier than ever to give your child a strong start.
As an approved Child Care Subsidy provider, Juniors Journey offers subsidised early learning at our centres in Gateshead, Mildura, and Eglinton.
If you’re unsure how the CCS or the new 3-Day Guarantee applies to your family, our caring Centre Managers are always here to guide you through the process.
We’d love to welcome your family. To learn more, enrol your child or book a tour, get in touch with our team today.
