You must be approved to operate a service and administer the Child Care Subsidy (CCS). You must be approved by the Australian Government and your state or territory government. This page outlines the approval process.
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What approvals are needed?
You need 2 types of approval to run a service that offers CCS. This is because the state and territory governments and the Australian Government have different roles.
You need approval from:
- Your state or territory government – known as National Law approval. This deems you suitable to ensure the health, safety, wellbeing and educational outcomes of children.
- The Australian Government. This deems you suitable to administer CCS.
Submit both applications at the same time to avoid unnecessary delays
We recommend you do not wait for National Law approval from your state or territory government before submitting your CCS application. Both applications can be submitted and assessed at the same time although approvals will be granted separately. CCS approval can’t be finalised until National Law approval is granted.
State or territory government approval
You must be approved by your state or territory government. This is known as National Law approval or state regulatory approval. Some providers refer to this as their licence.
This approval is granted by regulatory authorities in your state or territory.
State and territory governments decide if you are suitable to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children. They also consider educational outcomes and development.
They do this through the National Quality Framework (NQF). The NQF provides a national approach to regulation, assessment and quality improvement. ACECQA is an independent national authority that helps regulatory authorities administer the NQF.
To get National Law approval, you must meet the requirements of the NQF.
In most cases, you cannot care for children unless you are approved under the National Law in your state or territory.
A small number of services may be out of scope of the National Law. These include:
- In Home Care services
- services funded under the Budget Based Funded program before July 2018
- a small number of other specified services.
Out of scope services must be approved under applicable state and territory laws to operate and be eligible for CCS approval.
Your regulatory authority has more information on how to apply for National Law approval. Find your state or territory regulatory authority on the ACECQA website.
Australian Government approval
You must be approved by the Australian Government to administer CCS payments. This is known as CCS approval or Family Assistance Law approval.
Family Assistance Law sets out the rules you must follow if you get CCS. Learn more about your obligations under Family Assistance Law.
We cannot grant CCS approval unless you are approved by your state or territory government approval as regulatory approval is an eligibility requirement for CCS approval.
However, to avoid delays waiting for CCS approval,, you should apply for both approvals at the same time. Both applications can be assessed at the same time however the approvals will be granted separately.
Where do you apply?
You can apply for both approvals via the National Quality Agenda IT System.
You should not expect to complete the application in one sitting. You’ll need to collate a range of information and evidence from various individuals and agencies. It’s likely to take you days or weeks to collate the information needed. Follow the next steps to find out more about getting ready to apply.
How long does approval take?
We process applications as quickly as possible. However, we cannot give applicants a timeframe for completion.
You should apply for CCS approval as early as possible before you start operating. After submitting, CCS approval is not automatic. It can only be granted after we carefully assess your application.
Your state or territory regulatory authority can advise on National Law approval timeframes.