1.1.A.05 Absences (CCS, ACCS)

Definition

Where an approved child care service (1.1.A.90) has commenced operating under the CCSS for the purposes of CCS and ACCS, initial absences are absences when a child is absent on a day on which care would otherwise have been provided if the child was not absent and the family was charged for that care. Each child is allowed an initial 42 absence days from care across all approved child care services during each financial year which can be used for any reason and without the need to produce supporting documentation (includes public holidays). The number of absence days is cumulative across approved CBDC, FDC, IHC and OSHC services. CCS and ACCS is payable for any absence days up to 42 days regardless of the reason for the absence.

If a child is absent from one or more sessions of care (1.1.S.40) on a day, the absence is only counted once, i.e. if a child is absent from both before and after school care on the same day, only one absence is counted.

These initial 42 absence days must be used before additional absences (1.1.A.17) can be claimed.

The initial 42 absence days cannot be used to enable CCS or ACCS to be paid where the individual would not otherwise have been eligible for CCS or ACCS for the child. This includes where:

• fees are charged to reserve a place for a child who has not yet commenced care,
• fees are charged for a period after a child has already ceased attending care, or
• the child has already attended their maximum number of CCS or ACCS eligible hours in previous sessions in the same week.