Do I still have to pay for childcare when my child is sick or absent?

Illness and sick days are a normal part of early childhood, especially for children attending childcare. It can feel a little frustrating to learn that you still need to pay for those days of care that your child isn’t well enough to attend (especially when you’re also juggling a sick child at home), there are some important reasons behind it.

Once you understand how it works, it tends to make a lot more sense and it’s a lot easier to prepare for - plus, there are a few exceptions worth knowing about too.

Why you still pay when your child is sick

It can feel frustrating to pay for a day your child doesn’t attend, especially when you might have to take time off work to care for them yourself. But childcare services don’t operate on attendance alone - here’s what’s happening behind the scenes.

Staffing and ratios don’t change

Childcare services must meet strict educator-to-child ratios every day.

Even if your child is away, educators are still rostered based on expected attendance and those staffing requirements don’t change at short notice.

Your child’s place is held

Your child’s place is reserved for them. If services didn’t charge for absences, they would need to constantly refill spots , which would make it very difficult to maintain consistency and quality of care.

Fees keep the service running

The cost of running a childcare service continues, even when children are away.

Absence fees help:

• keep staffing stable
• maintain quality care
• ensure the service can operate consistently

It’s not about “paying for nothing” - it’s about holding your child’s place and supporting the service to run safely and reliably on all days.

When fees still apply (even if your child is absent)

In most cases, you’ll still pay your usual daily amount (after your CCS is supplied) if your child is away.

Short illnesses

If your child is home for a day or two with a cold, fever or another minor illness, the normal daily fee usually still applies.

Your regular booked days

Childcare enrolment is based on booked days not attendance - whether your child attends or not, that day is reserved for them and you are required to pay in order for your place to be held.

Public holidays

If a public holiday falls on a day your child is usually booked, you may still be charged, even if the service is closed.

CCS allowable absences

The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) covers up to 42 allowable absences per financial year. This means, for 42 allowable absence days, your CCS will still be applied and you will still only pay your usual out of pocket fee.

These include:

• sick days
• family days
• other unplanned absences

When you might not have to pay (or may pay less)

There are situations where fees may be reduced, but this varies between services - it’s always worth asking.

Extended illness or long absences

For longer absences (e.g. two weeks or more), some services may offer:

• reduced fees
• partial fee relief
• temporary fee waivers

This usually requires a conversation with the service and families need to meet certain eligibility criteria.

Holiday discounts

Some services offer:

• reduced “holiday rates”
• a set number of discounted weeks per year
• the option to pause care with advance notice

Policies are set by individual services and may vary, so it’s worth checking your service agreement or asking directly.

Special circumstances

In certain situations, such as hospitalisation or significant family events, services may apply discretion. If you’re unsure, it’s always okay to ask - a good service provider will support families as best they can.

How sick days affect your Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

Here’s the simple version:

• You get 42 allowable absences per child, per financial year, with CCS still applied
• After that, CCS may still apply with supporting evidence (e.g. a medical certificate)
• If your child is absent for more than 14 consecutive days, CCS may stop unless certain conditions are met

How to plan for sick days (without the stress)

Sick days are a normal part of early childhood, especially in the first year of care. Here are some ways to plan to make sick days more manageable:

Build it into your budget

Most young children will need to take multiple sick days each year, often more in their first year of childcare. If you will need to pay for additional care at home on sick days, such as a nanny or babysitter, it could help to have some money set aside for this each month to reduce financial surprise.

Know your service’s policies

Every service is different. Understanding absence policies, holiday discounts and fee structures can make a big difference.

Have a simple backup plan

You don’t need a perfect system, just a few options. For example:

• alternating care with a partner
• working from home if possible
• using carers leave or flexible hours
• support from a grandparent or friend
• having a trusted nanny or babysitter on call

Even a loose plan can make sick days feel less overwhelming.

Bringing it all together

In most cases, yes - you’ll still pay for childcare when your child is away sick. It can feel frustrating, but it’s part of how services maintain staffing, safety and consistency.

On the bright side, once you understand how it works and are better prepared for it, sick days become much easier to manage, both financially and emotionally.