Lauren Ziegler

The short answer: if your child is unwell enough that they can’t take part in a normal day — they’re miserable, they need more comfort than we can reasonably give while caring for a whole room, or they have symptoms that spread — they need to be home. And if they have a specific infectious illness, there is usually a published exclusion period they need to finish before coming back, regardless of how well they seem on the morning of day two.

That second part is the one that catches most families out, so it’s worth going through properly.

The three questions we ask before we ring you

When an educator flags that a child isn’t right, we’re not making a diagnosis. We’re not qualified to, and we don’t try. We’re asking three practical things.

Can they participate? A child who is lying on a cushion at ten in the morning, refusing food, not interested in their friends, is telling us something. It doesn’t matter what the thermometer says.

Are we able to care for them properly here? In a room with other children, a child who needs one-to-one comfort for hours isn’t getting what they need, and the other children aren’t either.

Is this something that spreads? Vomiting, diarrhoea, weeping eyes, a rash that’s blistering, a barking cough — these change the calculation immediately, because we have babies in the nursery and children with medical conditions in every room.

If the answer to any of these is a concern, you’ll get a call. A temperature of 37.5°C or above is the usual trigger for that call, but plenty of children are sent home with a normal temperature and a face that says everything.

Common illnesses and how long children stay home

These exclusion periods come from NSW Health and from the NHMRC’s Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (6th edition, released 2024), which is the reference every Australian service works from.

• Gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhoea) — until there has been no loose bowel motion for at least 48 hours. NSW Health sets a stricter standard than the national 24-hour guidance, and NSW is the standard we follow.
• Hand, foot and mouth disease — until all the blisters have dried. Not until they stop hurting, and not until the rash fades. Dried.
• Conjunctivitis — until the discharge from the eyes has stopped, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
• Chickenpox — until all blisters have dried, usually around five days after the rash first appears.
• Whooping cough — until five days after starting antibiotics, or 21 days from when the cough began.
• Influenza — until they are well.
• COVID-19 — if positive, at home until acute symptoms have gone.
• The common cold — no exclusion needed if the child seems well in themselves. A runny nose alone is not a reason to keep a child home, and if it were, half the Eastern Suburbs would be at home from May to September.

Two notes on that list. First, it is guidance, not a diagnosis — your GP knows your child and their circumstances, and their advice comes first. Second, the exclusion period runs from the symptoms, not from your convenience or ours. Hand, foot and mouth is the classic one: children are usually cheerful again long before the blisters have dried, and it’s genuinely hard to keep a well-seeming three-year-old home. But blisters that are still weeping are still infectious.

Why your child seems to be sick constantly

If you’ve just started care and your child has had three illnesses in six weeks, you are not doing anything wrong and neither are we.

The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne puts it plainly: it is normal for children to get up to 12 viral infections a year in their first few years of life. Children in group care meet those viruses earlier than children who don’t, so the first six to twelve months can feel relentless. It settles. Almost every family we’ve cared for over the years has had the same winter, and almost all of them have come out the other side of it.

What we do about it is unglamorous and it works: handwashing before food and after nappies and toileting, cleaning and disinfecting properly, our own educators staying home when they’re unwell, and telling you as soon as something is going around. That last one isn’t optional — under regulation 88 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, when there is an occurrence of an infectious disease at a service, the provider must take reasonable steps to prevent it spreading and must notify parents as soon as practicable. That’s why you get the message about a gastro case even when your own child is fine.

What happens to your fees when your child is away

This is the second question we get, usually straight after "when can she come back".

You do not lose your Child Care Subsidy the moment your child is away. Services Australia allows 42 allowable absence days per child per financial year, and these can be used for illness, holidays or any other reason without needing to explain yourself. The count resets on 1 July, and unused days don’t carry over. Your usual gap fee is still payable on an absent day — that’s how the system is designed, and it applies across all services, not just ours.

Once those 42 days are used, further absences can still be subsidised for approved reasons including illness, but you’ll need supporting evidence such as a medical certificate. Two things worth knowing: CCS can’t be paid for absences before your child’s very first day of attendance, and if a child doesn’t attend for 14 weeks in a row, the enrolment ends.

We’ve written a fuller explanation in How the Child Care Subsidy actually works, and for your own family’s circumstances, Services Australia is the place to check.

Immunisation, outbreaks and the NSW rules

Under the NSW Public Health Act 2010, a centre can’t enrol a child unless the family provides one of: an immunisation history statement showing the child is up to date for their age, a certified medical exemption, or evidence the child is on an approved catch-up schedule. That’s a legal requirement on us, not a centre preference.

There’s a second part families often don’t know about. NSW Health advises that children who are unimmunised for a particular disease may be asked to stay home if there’s an outbreak of that vaccine-preventable disease at a centre — and a public health officer can direct a director to exclude certain children for a period. It’s rare. But if it ever happens, it’s not a decision made at the front desk, and it’s worth knowing in advance rather than in the middle of it.

Making the call at 6.30 in the morning

Here’s the honest version, after thirty years of standing on both sides of this.

Ask yourself whether your child would be at the park today. Not whether they could be dragged there — whether they’d have a good time. If the answer is no, they won’t have a good time here either.

Then check the second thing: is there an exclusion period still running? If your child had gastro and last had a loose bowel motion at 9pm on Monday, the 48 hours isn’t up until 9pm on Wednesday. That means Thursday.

And if you’re unsure, ring us. Genuinely — a two-minute phone call at seven in the morning is easier for everyone than a drop-off, a call home at ten, and a child who has now shared it with the room. We would much rather talk it through with you than have you guessing.

If you’re weighing up care for your child and want to see how a room actually runs on an ordinary winter morning, you’re welcome to come and have a look. You can also read more about what we offer across our nursery, toddler and preschool rooms.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child come to childcare with a runny nose?

Yes, in most cases. National guidance says there’s no need to exclude a child with a common cold if they otherwise seem well. A runny nose on its own, with a child who’s eating, playing and comfortable, is not a reason to stay home. A runny nose alongside a fever, lethargy or refusal to eat is a different picture.

How long does a child have to stay home with hand, foot and mouth disease?

Until all the blisters have dried. Children usually feel well again well before this point, but the blisters remain infectious while they’re weeping. Your GP can confirm when your child is right to return.

Do I still have to pay childcare fees when my child is sick?

Usually yes. Child Care Subsidy continues for up to 42 allowable absence days per child each financial year, and your normal gap fee still applies on those days. After 42 days, illness absences can still be subsidised but require evidence such as a medical certificate. Check your own situation with Services Australia.

How long should my child stay home after vomiting or diarrhoea?

In NSW, until there has been no loose bowel motion for at least 48 hours. NSW Health sets a stricter standard than the national 24-hour guidance, so 48 hours is the one to work to here. The clock starts from the last symptom, not from when they went to bed.

Is it normal for my child to get sick this often after starting daycare?

Yes. The Royal Children’s Hospital notes it’s normal for children to get up to 12 viral infections a year in their first few years. Children in group care tend to meet these earlier. If you’re worried about how often or how severely your child is unwell, see your GP.

This article is general information for families, not medical advice. For advice about your own child, speak to your GP or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222. For questions about your Child Care Subsidy, contact Services Australia.

Child Care Subsidy is the single biggest factor in what you actually pay for care, and it is explained badly almost everywhere. Here is how it really works, in plain English, with the numbers that apply right now.

The three things that decide what you pay

Your out-of-pocket cost comes down to three numbers: your subsidy percentage, the hourly rate cap, and the number of subsidised hours you are entitled to. Get those three straight and the rest follows.

1. Your subsidy percentage

This is set by your combined family income. From 6 July 2026, families earning up to $88,520 receive the maximum 90% subsidy. Above that, the rate reduces by 1% for every additional $5,000 of family income, and it reaches zero at $538,520.

You estimate your family income when you apply through Services Australia via myGov. Keep that estimate current — it is the single most common cause of an unexpected bill at tax time.

2. The hourly rate cap

The government will not subsidise an unlimited hourly fee. It sets a cap, and your subsidy is calculated on whichever is lower: your centre’s hourly fee, or the cap.

From 6 July 2026, the cap for centre-based day care is $15.19 per hour for children below school age. If a centre charges above that, the excess is not subsidised at all — you pay 100% of it. This is why two centres with similar daily fees can leave you with quite different gap payments.

3. How many hours you get — the 3 Day Guarantee

This changed significantly on 5 January 2026. The old activity test, which tied subsidised hours to how much each parent worked or studied, was replaced by the 3 Day Guarantee.

Every CCS-eligible family now receives at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight — three days a week — regardless of work or study. Families with more than 48 hours of recognised participation per fortnight, or who have an exemption, can access up to 100 hours.

For most families using two or three days a week, this means the activity test is simply no longer something you need to worry about.

The 5% withholding, and why your first statements look wrong

Services Australia withholds 5% of your subsidy throughout the year. It is not a charge and it is not lost — it is a buffer against families underestimating their income and ending up with a debt.

Once you lodge your tax return and your income is balanced, the withheld amount is returned to you if your estimate was accurate. It does mean your real-world gap fee is slightly higher than a simple calculation suggests, which catches a lot of families by surprise in the first few months.

Absences

You do not lose your subsidy the moment your child is away. CCS covers up to 42 absence days per child each financial year, which covers illness, family holidays and public holidays. Past 42 days, further absences need documented evidence.

Start Strong — the NSW piece

Start Strong is a NSW Government program and is entirely separate from the federal Child Care Subsidy. It is applied as a weekly reduction to your gap fee after CCS has been calculated.

In 2026 it is worth up to $2,563 a year for children aged 4 and over, and up to $769 a year for eligible 3-year-olds, depending on which funding tier applies. MJEEC is a funded Start Strong service and we apply it automatically — there is no separate application for families.

Common questions

Am I eligible for the Child Care Subsidy?

Most families are. From 6 July 2026, families earning up to $88,520 receive the maximum 90% subsidy. The rate reduces by 1% for every additional $5,000 of family income and cuts out at $538,520. You apply through Services Australia via myGov, not through your centre.

What is the 3 Day Guarantee?

From 5 January 2026 the activity test was replaced by the 3 Day Guarantee. Every CCS-eligible family now receives at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, or three days a week, regardless of how much you work or study. Families with more than 48 hours of recognised participation per fortnight can access 100 hours.

What is the hourly rate cap?

The government caps the hourly fee it will subsidise. From 6 July 2026 the cap for centre-based day care is $15.19 per hour for children below school age. If your centre charges more than the cap, your subsidy is calculated on the cap, not on the higher fee, and you pay the difference.

Why is 5% of my subsidy withheld?

Services Australia withholds 5% of your subsidy through the year as a buffer against income estimate errors. It is not a fee. If your estimate was accurate, the withheld amount is returned when your income is balanced after you lodge your tax return.

Do I get subsidy when my child is absent?

Yes. Child Care Subsidy covers up to 42 absence days per child each financial year, which covers illness, family holidays and public holidays. Beyond 42 days, additional absences need documented evidence.

What is NSW Start Strong fee relief?

Start Strong is a NSW program separate from CCS, applied as a weekly reduction to your gap fee after subsidy. In 2026 it is worth up to $2,563 a year for children aged 4 and over and up to $769 for eligible 3-year-olds, depending on eligibility.

Working out your own numbers

Services Australia has an estimator that will give you a figure for your family. If you would rather talk it through with a person, bring your income estimate to a tour and we will walk through it with you.

• See our 2026 daily fees and what is included
• See our rooms and programs
• Book a tour or a free stay-and-play session

This article explains how the Child Care Subsidy works in general terms and is current as at July 2026. Your entitlement is determined by Services Australia based on your family’s circumstances, not by the centre. Figures are subject to annual indexation.