Flexible Childcare Assistance

18 March 2024.

From 1 April 2024, you could get help with the cost of informal childcare if you’re working or in employment-related education or training during times when you can’t access formal childcare programmes.

This could help you with paying someone to look after your children. It can also help with other informal childcare costs such as for food, an activity or travel.

We're also increasing the payment rate and the length of time that you can get Flexible Childcare Assistance.

What's changing

From 1 April 2024, you may be able to get Flexible Childcare Assistance if you:

  • are the main caregiver of a dependent child or young person
  • have informal childcare costs because you can’t access childcare programmes
  • are cancelling your benefit, on a main benefit or likely to be on a benefit long term, and
  • are in or starting work, employment-related education or training.

Other changes include:

  • The maximum payment duration is extending up to 52 weeks.
  • Flexible Childcare Assistance payments rates will:
    • increase to $64.02 for 1 child, and a maximum of $192.06 per family
    • be adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index.

More information

For more information about these changes, see:

Flexible Childcare Assistance
Benefit rates at 1 April 2024