The NSW government has announced that from 2 July 2018 there will be a new Child Care Subsidy which will help parents with children aged 0 -13 work, train, study and volunteer. The Child Care Subsidy will be combining the previous Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate and will be paid directly to child care services on behalf of families.
Mayor Greg Cummings said that this is a great opportunity for parents to look at the education and care options that Cumberland Council has available for children.
“Cumberland Council has a range of high quality care options available for families including long day care, pre-school, family day care, after school care and school holiday programs. Our programs are run by dedicated and passionate staff who not only care for children, but help them to develop and grow,” Mayor Cummings said.
“The subsidy should be taken advantage of by parents looking to get back into the work force, get work experience or start a new career. Families accessing our Council operated children’s services are all eligible for the Child Care Subsidy and at affordable prices parents should make the most of the services available to them.
“It’s important for all parents and carers to visit my.gov.au to provide Centrelink with some new information and confirm their current details to ensure they are receiving the right payment.”
Cumberland Council has also moved to a new payment system called Smart Central, for all child care payments. This system allows parents and carers to have their own portal to manage their personal details including direct debit information. The new system also now accepts credit as well as debit cards for weekly direct debits. Parents can speak directly with their education and care service for further details if needed.
To find out more information about the new Child Care Subsidy visit https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/child-care-subsidy. For further questions about the Smart Central system please email accounts.children@cumberland.nsw.gov.au.
