You are intitled to it for upto 24 hours per week per child if you arent working or studying. It doesnt matter if you are on maternity leave or dont return to work or whatever.

This is from the FAO website -
If you are using approved care, you will get up to 24 hours of Child Care Benefit per child per week without having to meet the work, training, study test.

If you wish to claim between 24 and 50 hours of Child Care Benefit per child per week, you have to show that you and your partner have work related commitments for:

•at least 15 hours a week; or
•30 hours a fortnight; or
•have an exemption.


I was under the impression that i only had 12 months (maternity leave) then i had to return to work to get the benefit back but this isnt the case