Low and middle-income earners big winners in new child care subsidy

Far North families have welcomed the new childcare subsidies that are set to save hardworking parents thousands in fees. SEE HOW MUCH CAN BE SAVED

FAR North families have welcomed the new childcare subsidies that are set to save hardworking parents thousands in fees.

Middle and low-income households – with two or more children under the age of five – are the big winners in the Queensland Government’s $1.7 billion scheme, with almost 60,000 families expected to save an average of $2260 year.

Cairns mother-of-three Aimee Creighton, 38, said the relief would help many families across the region.

Evelyn Cahill, 4, and Taylor Greenwood, 3, create some artworks with the help of child care educator Ashleigh Turpin at Pelicans child care centre. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“Especially with the current situation where people have lost jobs and had to shut their small businesses down because of the on flow affect of Covid, having access to childcare to even look for a job has probably impacted people,” she said.
“So this subsidy will be hugely beneficial.

“The need to have your children in care while you are at work comes at a cost.”

The change involves increasing the childcare subsidy for the second child by between 10 and 30 percentage points, depending on the income of the household.

It will mean a family earning $110,000 a year and sending two kids to childcare for five days will receive the full 95 per cent subsidy and save $126 a week, while a household with an income of $180,000 in similar care circumstances will receive an 80 per cent subsidy and save $162 a week.

Cairns Central Child Care Centre director, Shanice Robson said the savings would come as a welcome relief to many at her centre.

“It’s tremendous news for the families, especially families who have more than one child in daycare,” she said.

“It can get super expensive so it will make a big difference to a lot of parents.”

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Originally published as Low and middle-income earners big winners in new child care subsidy