Vacation care covers supervised full-day childcare for school-age children during term breaks, and it’s one of the least-understood costs in the Australian childcare system — the price varies significantly by state, and the Child Care Subsidy doesn’t reduce the bill as much as most families expect. This article breaks down current vacation care costs across Australia, why the out-of-pocket amount can differ so much between providers, and what funding is available.
At a glance
- The national average cost of vacation care is around $134 per child per day, before the Child Care Subsidy is applied.
- The ACT has the highest average daily rate ($149.57), consistent with the ACT also recording the highest long day care fees nationally. Tasmania is the cheapest state ($112.77).
- The Child Care Subsidy only covers fees up to a government-set hourly rate cap. Any amount a provider charges above that cap is entirely unsubsidised, which is why families on the same CCS percentage can end up with very different out-of-pocket costs.
- Excursion days typically cost $20–25 more per child than in-centre days, on top of the base daily rate.
How much does vacation care cost?
CareForKids.com.au, Australia’s largest childcare vacancy and fee-comparison platform, publishes live average vacation care fees by state. As of 2026, the average cost per child, per day, before subsidy, is:
| State/Territory | Average cost per day |
|---|---|
| ACT | $149.57 |
| VIC | $143.69 |
| WA | $140.38 |
| NSW | $139.74 |
| SA | $134.47 |
| QLD | $129.09 |
| NT | $124.77 |
| TAS | $112.77 |
These are state-wide averages. Individual providers, particularly in inner-city areas, often charge above them — Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra CBD services can run $20–40 above their state’s average.
Is vacation care more expensive than term-time after-school care?
Yes. Before and after school care (OSHC) sessions typically cost $17.50–$35 per session, covering two to three hours of supervision either side of the school day. Vacation care covers a full day — usually 7am to 6pm — and is priced accordingly, which is why the jump from term-time to holiday-period childcare costs catches many families off guard each break.
What’s included in the daily fee?
Vacation care fees generally cover:
- Supervised full-day care for the length of the program (typically 7am–6pm)
- Meals or snacks — this varies by provider, with some including breakfast and afternoon tea and others not
- In-centre activities, or a scheduled excursion where the day’s program includes one
Excursions, incursions (visiting entertainers or incursion-based workshops), and special activity days are usually charged at a higher rate for that specific day, on top of the base fee.
Is there funding available for vacation care?
Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
Vacation care is CCS-eligible in the same way as long day care and before/after school care, provided the service is an approved provider.
| Who is it for? | Working families, or families who are studying, training, volunteering, or looking for work, meeting the relevant activity test |
|---|---|
| How much can I get? | CCS covers a percentage of fees (up to 90% for lower-income families) up to an hourly rate cap. Any amount charged above the cap is not subsidised at all. |
| How do I apply? | Enrol your child with an approved OSHC/vacation care provider, then confirm your CCS details through myGov linked to Centrelink. The provider submits your enrolment; you don’t need to apply separately for vacation care specifically. |
The 3 Day Guarantee
From January 2026, eligible families are guaranteed access to at least 72 hours of subsidised care per child, per fortnight, regardless of their activity level. This applies to vacation care in the same way as other approved care types.
Why your out-of-pocket cost may be higher than expected
Because CCS only subsidises fees up to the hourly rate cap, a provider charging above that cap leaves the gap entirely with the family. A $20-a-day difference in the listed fee between two providers can become a $36-a-day difference in what a family actually pays, once the above-cap portion loses its subsidy. This is more common among NSW, WA and ACT providers than in regional areas or Tasmania, where fees more often sit under the cap. CCS Checker AU has a breakdown of current state-by-state hourly caps for families who want to check their own provider against it.
Reducing vacation care costs
A few things families commonly do to bring the total down over a holiday period:
- Book in-centre days over excursion days where the child is happy either way, since excursion days run $20–25 higher per child.
- Book early. Popular providers fill their first week of a holiday period quickly, sometimes before the previous term ends, and last-minute vacancies tend to sit at the higher end of the fee range.
- Mix paid vacation care with free or low-cost activities on days that don’t need full-day coverage — directories of school holiday activities by area are a useful starting point.
- Check confirmed term dates ahead of time rather than close to the break, since term and school holiday dates by state are published well in advance and affect provider availability.
FAQs
What is the average cost of vacation care in Australia? Around $134 per child per day nationally in 2026, before the Child Care Subsidy is applied. This ranges from $112.77 in Tasmania to $149.57 in the ACT.
Is vacation care covered by the Child Care Subsidy? Yes, for approved providers. CCS covers a percentage of the fee up to an hourly rate cap; amounts charged above that cap are not subsidised.
Why do two vacation care providers with similar daily fees end up costing families different amounts? If one provider’s hourly rate sits above the CCS cap and the other doesn’t, the above-cap portion of the higher-priced provider is entirely unsubsidised, which can turn a small difference in the listed fee into a much larger difference in the final bill.
How can families reduce vacation care costs? Booking in-centre days over excursion days where possible, booking early before popular services fill their first week of a holiday period, and confirming CCS eligibility and hours ahead of the break are the main options available to families.
Sources: CareForKids.com.au vacation care fee data (2026); Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, December quarter 2025; Services Australia, Child Care Subsidy guidelines.