Child care even cheaper for families

 Thousands of Australian families will be paying less for child care from next week with an increase in Child Care Benefit (CCB) Minister for Community Services Larry Anthony said today.

“From 1 July 2001, Child Care Benefit will increase by 5.8% as a result indexation.

“This means the 500,000 families who use Commonwealth approved child care services will receive an increase in fee assistance.

“Families on low incomes will particularly benefit as the cost of full time child care will be cut by up $7 a week per child. This means that a family with one child receiving the maximum rate of Child Care Benefit will have their payment increased from $122 to $129 per week.

“The amount a family can earn and still be eligible for maximum assistance will also increase from $28,000 to $29,857.

“Around 165,000 families currently get the maximum hourly rate of fee reductions, this number will jump by an extra 7,000 families following the change.

“The Coalition Government has spent more than $4.3 billion on child care – 30 per cent more than Labor’s last four years in Government. Child Care Benefit has reduced the costs of child care by more than nine per cent since July 2000. On top of this we have allocated a further $6 billion for the next four years to 2004-05.

“This is great news for both families and child care services. The Government is committed to providing affordable and accessible child care and there can be no doubt that the Child Care Benefit has delivered for Australian families,” Mr Anthony said