Can't get CCB for new preschool

[Liz]

Does anyone (BG? ) know off the top of their head what the go is with Childcare Benefits and preschools?

Where DS just finished up, it was a long daycare/preschool. He just did a short day. But we are entitled to CCB and I should be getting about 1/2 of the fees back whenever the quarterly payment is made.

He's starting a new preschool next week, and apparently we're not entitled to anything unless I'm working?? Something about the preschool being state funded as opposed to federal, so it's not an eligible "child care" ? But if I was working we'd be entitled?

*confused* and ready to feel the pinch of getting no benefits!

[MantaRay]

Liz, there is approved care and registered care. Approved care is what you are getting now with long day care - you don't have to be working to get CCB but there is an income threshold. The payment is a percentage of the cost. With registered care, the CCB is only if both parents meet the work/study rule (same as for the CCTR for approved care), and it is a fixed payment amount per hour of care. Not all pre-schools are registered as far as I know but I don't think any of them are approved.

[Liz]

hmm.. ok.. that makes sense. I just looked it up on the familyassist site, never noticed the distinction made between registered & approved before!

Since it's not income based.. then I should be able to get something, working on the business, just not getting paid LOL.. amounts to about $6 a week probably. pfft.

So the rebate you get each quarter, that's the tax rebate is it? Not CCB? Coz we won't get that then, as registered care doesn't get the tax rebate. Hardly worth the effort & paperwork for $6 a week. Altho I spose it's $60 a term... hmm.

[MantaRay]

Yeah, I'm in the same boat Liz. DS1 started kindy this year so now we get the registered care CCB for him instead of the CCTR. But I'm not going to complain, it still works out cheaper than day care even taking the CCTR into account. Now I've just got to wait until the year after next to have no day care fees LOL!

[Liz]

Yeah, I think ours works out about the same per year when you take into account school holidays & public holidays that I now don't have to pay for. Trouble is we're doing 2 days at the new preschool, so it works out to be the equivalent of the old place without any benefits/rebates. All a bit confusing, but budget-wise, I still budget for about the same as 1 day at the old place, I just don't get anything back at the end of the day.. but at least we get 2 days out of it. hehe.

[briggsy's girl]

if it is a registered care provider, you need to be working or studying at least 15 hours per week and earning minimum wage from your business (so taking at least a wage of 13.50 ball park per hour for those 15 hours) otherwise you won't qualify for registered care.

you have up to a year to claim registered care, so can claim in a lump sum - most people wait til the end of term (even if you pay in advance, you can only claim what has been used) or every six months to make it worth while to claim

[Shalou]

Thanks for bringing up this topic as it's one I've been struggling to understand and work out. My DD is currently in a childcare centre and we get CCB & CCR but when she moves to the preschool we lose our CCB & CCR. I wasn't sure whether this was because the preschool we've chosen is part of the state education system so not classed as 'daycare' anymore and instead classed as 'school'

Thanks for the info about approved and registered care, I'll look this up on the Centrelink website and see if there is anything there that would apply to our situation before I start questioning the preschool. I've been putting off asking the preschool because I didn't want to be the crazy new mum

[Willow]

We're in the same boat Liz although when we last claimed ours, we were both working and I still only got about $150 back, so it's not much at all.

But DD's preschool is FAR cheaper than the long day care next door and I prefer her to go to a 'proper' preschool with school hours and children her age (ours is 3&4 yr olds only) than a long day care centre which caters for all ages iykwim?

[Liz]

BG - the site said 'starting up a business' counts towards being qualified.. most people aren't earning anything when starting up a business? And even looking for work - or do you have to be on the dole for that?

Willow - yeah same here. Ours is $35 a day, but only during school terms, and we don't pay for public holidays. Whereas where he was (long day care took kids from 2yrs old, but was in a 3yr old class) was $51, with all the rebates, but continues through holidays and even have to pay public holidays even tho you don't attend!! I'm glad a spot came up at the proper preschool too, it's where we wanted him initially.. we were just on the waiting list

[Bathsheba]

I'm still a bit confused by this as well... but thankyou BG for trying to explain. I recently had my 2yo in an approved centre which has the Commonwealth rebate (meaning we will get back 50% in April). I rang CentreLink prior to enrolling him and confirmed our status (whether we were eligible to get the rebate because I'm not working and it would have been too much for our budget otherwise). I said that I am currently considering returning to study (and need child-free time to speak to course advisors etc) and also wishing to volunteer at my older son's school (during the hours my 2yo was in care) and CentreLink said that yes, I would qualify for the rebate based on that. All I needed was 1 day a week though.

So we enrolled him but he only did a few sessions before alarm bells rung about some of the staff members... and we have pulled him out. I'm looking at other centres now. So, now I know to look out for Approved centres rather than Registered centres (at least until i start study or work)... so thanks again for the info!

[briggsy's girl]

BG - the site said 'starting up a business' counts towards being qualified.. most people aren't earning anything when starting up a business? And even looking for work - or do you have to be on the dole for that?

nope, no need to be on income support - BUT you do have to be working or actively looking for work at least 15 hours per week. i'll admit it is rarely checked, but sometimes it is, so you HAVE to keep a diary of it, cos if you're found to say you're doing X and on checking you're not, they will make you pay it all back!

So, now I know to look out for Approved centres rather than Registered centres (at least until i start study or work)... so thanks again for the info!

definitely look for approved care - you'll get up to 24 hours of CCB a week if you don't meet the work study training test (the bits i mentioned about 15 hours of whatever) - 50 hours if you do. you ONLY qualify for the CCR if you meet the work study training test, so again, keep a record

the work study training test can be a combination of factors - so if you're studying, you might have one contact day (6 hours), volunteer at the school (4 hours) and study at home (5 hours) per week - that meets it - but keep a really good record! as i said, i am yet to personally see anyone be investigated but it will be happening in the near future as it seems that EVERYONE is getting CCR and i think it's filtering through that some of those people don't qualify kwim?

Thanks for the info about approved and registered care, I'll look this up on the Centrelink website and see if there is anything there that would apply to our situation before I start questioning the preschool. I've been putting off asking the preschool because I didn't want to be the crazy new mum

pfft! it's better to be the crazy new mum that knows where she fits in than the new mum that assumes something and finds out it's all wrong! the child care/preschool deal with these questions all the time, and probably think anyone NOT asking is a little odd...

[Liz]

i can't be stuffed keeping record, coz seriously, I've no idea how many hrs I would do. i doubt it's 15, and even then most of it is done at night LOL.. not when he's at preschool.

I'd still vote for a registered community preschool over an approved long day care centre any day. I'm so glad we're making the change. i think the flow of the day and what they do is going to be heaps different. We have friends who's kids are attending this new preschool, and i think it's going to be worth being out of pocket Altho like I said, it works out the same per day anyway at the end of a year. Think it was $1300 a year net for the long day care/preschool, and it's the same for 1 day at the new place when you take into consideration school & public holidays.