flexible childcare assistance
help with childcare costs when a childcare programme is closed
what fca is
Flexible childcare assistance (FCA) is an employment support payment that helps caregivers with the costs of informal childcare (eg, a babysitter, or family member). The payment helps caregivers who are:
- considered at risk of long-term benefit receipt,
- in or starting work, employment-related education or training for at least three hours a week, and
- unable to access formal childcare during those hours.
For more detail on the eligibility criteria for FCA refer to MAP.
how fca is paid
FCA is paid as a contribution towards costs associated with informal childcare.
The payment is paid directly to the caregiver (or agent if authorised) who is then responsible for paying the informal childcare costs themselves. FCA can be paid for up to 52 weeks.
The rate of payment is dependent on the number of dependent children a caregiver has informal childcare costs for, and the age of the children. This is paid at a flat rate for each week.
Rates are adjusted each year on 1 April. For current rates see the Work and Income website.
fca application process
Young parents will need to complete the FCA application form.
The youth coach will then submit the application in ART – Task category: Reviews, Task type: Flexible Childcare Assistance.
FCA is paid at a flat weekly rate. This means a young parent may start or stop becoming eligible for FCA part-way through a week but would still receive the full weekly rate.
This means when entitlement to FCA:
- begins mid-week, FCA is paid for the whole week (from the Monday of that week).
- increases mid-week, FCA is paid at the higher rate for the whole week (from the Monday of that week).
- decreases or stops mid-week, FCA is paid at the existing rate for the whole week. FCA does not decrease or stop until the following Monday.
NOTE: FCA is not part of Money Management and will be paid directly to the young parent.