Childcare centre closes due to COVID-19

If your childcare centre closes temporarily due to COVID-19, we may be able to continue paying childcare assistance.

When we can continue to pay childcare

We can continue to pay childcare when the childcare centre has to temporarily close due to COVID-19.

For example, it:

has to close due to COVID-19 Alert Level 4
is connected to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and has been instructed to close
is not able to operate safely and within public health guidelines,
temporarily does not have any children needing childcare because of COVID-19.

You also have to still qualify for the childcare assistance payment.

We can continue to pay the childcare assistance whether the childcare provider is charging a fee to hold your child’s place or not.

We’ll continue to pay childcare assistance at the same rate, unless there’s a change in your circumstances that affects your entitlement.

For example, your:

You don’t need to do anything.

The childcare centre will let us know if they need to close.