Frequently Asked Questions: Children’s Services

This page will be consistently updated with any new and relevant information concerning Communities@Work's Children's Services.

1. Are you approved for Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

Yes, all our services are approved for Child Care Subsidy (CCS). Find out more about your eligibility for CCS on the Services Australia website.

2. How do I get a Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

We encourage you to apply for the Child Care Subsidy through Centrelink to check if you are eligible (it’s based on your family’s annual taxable income, an activity test and the type of child care service you are using).

To find out if you are eligible, log into MyGov and complete your Child Care Subsidy Assessment.
Centrelink will notify you once your claim has been assessed or approved.
Log in to MyGov and review and accept your enrolment (this is important, otherwise you may be charged full fees even though you are eligible for the subsidy).

3. What support is available if I’m experiencing hardship?

While Free Child Care through the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Relief Package ended on July 12, 2020, there is a range of support available for families experiencing hardship.

We know these are tough times and we want you to know that we are here for you. It’s times like these that we all need to support each other and reach out for support when we need a hand. We might not have all the answers, but we promise to listen and support you as best we can. We have a range of support services to support families in need. Please speak to the manager of your service or centre or call us at 6293 6500 if you are struggling or need support.

The government also has a range of financial and other support available, and we encourage you to review these:

Click here for ACT Government’s Support for those impacted by COVID-19.
Click here for Services Australia’s information about financial and support options for families, including the ACCS, which we have provided more detail on below. Sometimes, it can take time for your application to be approved, so it’s a good idea to begin the process as soon as possible.

4. What is the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) – Temporary Financial Hardship

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) has restarted from 13 July 2020.

Under the ACCS, you may receive up to additional child care subsidy towards your child care fees, for up to 100 hours of care per fortnight, if:

You are experiencing financial hardship and you need help paying your child care fees.
Your income has been reduced because you have lost your job, you are caring for a seriously ill family member or have recently lost a family member you may be eligible.

You can apply online via myGov, or in-person by visiting your local Centrelink office. To support your application, it is helpful if you have evidence documentation that details the following:

The event or incident that has caused your financial hardship, e.g. lost a job, substantially reduced income, family illness, natural disaster etc;
How this event has affected your family’s ability to pay your child care fees.

To find out more, please visit the Services Australia website.

You can also read our post on tips for seeking help from Centrelink here.

5. Are you continuing to operate during COVID-19?

Yes, Communities@Work continues to work hard to support children, families, clients and our community during the COVID-19 crisis. All our children’s services are operating as usual. Our highest priority is the health and wellbeing of your children and our educators and staff. We have implemented increased hygiene, cleaning and other measures across all of our services to reduce the risk of infection and spread. Find out more about Communities@Work’s response to COVID-19.

6. How do I find the right child care for my family?

Our team can help you with that. If you fill in the Get in Touch form on our website, we will contact you and work through what you’re after, covering things like the hours and location you need and any specific requirements you may have. You can explore our children’s services here.

7. How do I enrol my child in a children’s service?

Please use the following links for enrolments:

8. Who do I contact for Enrolments?

You can contact the Children’s Services Enrolments Team between 9 AM to 5 PM (Monday-Friday) on:

Phone: 1300 212 273
Email: enrolments@commsatwork.org

9. What’s the Enrolment Portal Account?

This is your family enrolment account on our website to enrol in Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) services including School Holiday Programs. For enrolling into any other service, please refer to question 7. Once you set up your account you can:

Make, change or stop your bookings
Update your payment details
Update your personal details
Book multiple holiday programs with one enrolment
Add an authorised pick up person
Update your direct debit details

10. How do I make casual or last-minute bookings?

[Applicable to our Before and After School Care, and Early Education & Care Centres]

Use the KindyNow App to make quick and easy casual one-off bookings, to notify us of absences, or to make advance bookings up to two weeks ahead. Download from the Apple store or from the Google Play Store. (Note: you must first enrol and receive confirmation from us before downloading this app).

11. How do I notify you if my child will be absent?

As part of our Duty of Care it’s important we confirm the whereabouts of every child booked into our service each day. So please notify us if your child will be absent. This is your responsibility to contact us directly.

For Out of School Hours Care and Early Education and Care: Please use the Kindynow App to notify us of an absence, you can also notify us via email, or phone.

For Family Day Care and In-Home Care, you must notify your educator directly via email or phone.

12. What are your fees?

Our fees vary depending on the location and type of service:

Before School Care: usually $20 – $23 per day (depending on permanent or casual booking)
After School Care: usually $29 – $36 per day (depending on permanent or casual booking)
School Holiday Program: usually $75 – $78 per day
Child Care Centres: usually $100 – $130 per day (depending on the centre)

Note: These are the fees before any Child Care Subsidy is applied.

13. How do I provide feedback on any children’s service?

Please use the Get in Touch form on our website to provide any feedback. We’ll strive to get back to you at the earliest!

14. What do you mean when you say you’re a profit-for-purpose organisation?

By supporting Communities@Work children’s services, you’re supporting the Canberra community. Not only
are we a leading provider of children’s services, but we reinvest back into the community, providing valuable support services to seniors, people with a disability and those vulnerable and disadvantaged. So you can feel good, knowing that your child is getting the best care available all while supporting those in need in your community.