What is an activity test (CCS)?
The activity test is an eligibility requirement under the Child Care Subsidy scheme that uses a parent or carer's approved activities (work, study, volunteer work, unpaid work) to determine how many subsidised childcare hours per fortnight they can access.
Under the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) scheme, the activity test decides how many hours of subsidised childcare each family receives per fortnight. It is not about whether a child attends a centre, but about what the parent or carer is doing during those hours.
The test recognises several types of approved activities that qualify for the subsidy. Work is the most common category, including both paid employment and self-employment. Study qualifies if it is full-time or part-time at an accredited institution. Approved volunteer work and unpaid work (such as caring for a family member) also count toward the test in certain circumstances. Periods of paid parental leave, annual leave, and sick leave taken by a working parent are included when calculating activity hours.
The number of hours a parent or carer spends on approved activities directly maps to their entitlement. Someone working 30 hours per week qualifies for a higher subsidy allocation than someone working 10 hours per week. This means families with different work and study patterns receive different levels of support from the government.
Childcare centre staff in Redland Bay often help families understand which activities the ABA (the department administering CCS) recognises, and many providers are experienced in explaining how the activity test translates into real subsidised hours available to families.