Nido Early School Fees
Nido Early Schools are government approved, meaning Child Care Subsidy (CCS) eligible families are entitled to a 3 Day Child Care Subsidy Guarantee. This ensures at least 3 days of subsidised early childhood education and care per week (72 hours per fortnight), regardless of the work, study, or volunteering status of your family. If you’re eligible for CCS, the Executive Service Manager at your local early school will help you understand exactly what your out-of-pocket costs will be.
Our fees include all daily care essentials: nutritious meals and snacks, nappies,and learning resources. Holiday discounts and swap days for public holidays are also available for children enrolled in our early schools.
Daily fees for your local early school can be found directly on their Service page. Find your local Nido Early School
Payments
Fees are paid via direct debit from a bank account or credit card. Once a direct debit form is completed, payments are automatically processed on a Thursday, one week in advance however we provide flexibility to pay fortnightly or monthly and on any day of the week at your request.
The Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
What is the Child Care Subsidy?
The Child Care Subsidy is a government initiative to help families reduce their out-of-pocket childcare expenses. The initiative is designed to enable families to access affordable, flexible and high-quality childcare.
Since Nido Early School is a government approved childcare provider, you could be entitled to the Child Care Subsidy on your fees.
The Government reduces the amount you may pay for your childcare, to increase the level of care your child can receive. This enables parents or carers to allow their child to attend childcare, so that they can either work or study more hours. Families must meet a number of requirements to qualify for the CCS.
CCS Changes in January 2026 – the 3 Day Guarantee – what does it mean for your family?
From January 2026, the Australian Government is updating the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to guarantee at least 3 days of subsidised early childhood education and care per week.
This means that all CCS-eligible families will receive at least 72 hours per fortnight (3 days/week) of subsidised childcare regardless of their work, study, or volunteering status.
Families can still access up to 100 hours per fortnight if they work, study, train, or volunteer for 48+ hours per fortnight, or have a valid exemption. First Nations families will automatically receive 100 hours per fortnight.
To be eligible for CCS families must be earning under $533,280 annually (2024–25 threshold) and meet immunisation requirements. Learn more about the 3 Day Guarantee and changes to the Child Care Subsidy.
Use our CCS Calculator, to calculate your fees at Nido Early School.
How does the CCS work?
Subsidies are paid directly to Nido Early School, and we then pass them to you as a fee reduction. You then pay the difference between the subsidy and the fees charged.
How much Child Care Subsidy can I receive?
Child Care Subsidy is calculated using:
- Your combined family income
- The number of children under five you have in childcare
- Your childcare provider’s hourly rate
Families with more than one child aged five or under in care can get a higher subsidy. The higher CCS will be paid to their second child and younger children.
Eligible children will get a 30% higher subsidy up to a maximum of 95%. If you have children born on the same day, such as twins, Services Australia should be contacted to ensure one child is determined as receiving the standard CCS rate with the other, the higher rate.
Who is eligible for CCS?
Families must meet eligibility criteria to get CCS.
Parents must:
- Care for their child at least 2 nights per fortnight or have 14% share of care
- Be liable for child care fees at an approved child care service
- Meet residency requirements
Their child must:
- Meet immunisation requirements
- Not be attending secondary school (unless an exemption applies)
- Be 13 or under (except in certain circumstances)
If a child doesn’t attend a session of care at least once in 26 consecutive weeks, they will stop being eligible for CCS. If a child starts to attend care again, a family can make a new claim for CCS.
Additional Support
Some families can get additional Child Care Subsidy to provide extra support with childcare fees.
There are four different types of additional Child Care Subsidy that you can apply for if you’re either:
- a grandparent
- transitioning to work
- experiencing temporary financial hardship
- caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect
Approved childcare
These childcare services have Australian Government approval to obtain Child Care Subsidy to reduce fees on your behalf:
- Centre Based Day Care, including long day care and occasional care
- Family Day Care
- Outside School Hours Care, including before, after and vacation care
- In Home Care