The Child Care rebate, that is.

According to recent media reports based on figures released by DEEWR, some $200 million in unclaimed childcare rebates is lying unclaimed in some government bank account.

Research done over past years by Care For Kids Internet Services Pty Ltd CareForKids.com.au® has suggested that up to one third of parents surveyed simply didn’t know that they were eligible for the means tested child care benefit and child care rebates which are not means tested.

But once everyone surveyed did know, almost half of these parents ‘couldn’t be bothered’ or ‘didn’t have time’ for ‘the hassles’ they perceived would be involved in being assessed by Centrelink. So they haven’t taken up the money due to them.

You can get Child Care Rebate even if you can’t get the Benefit.

Basically, the Child Care Rebate helps working families with the cost of child care. The Child Care Rebate helps working families with the cost of child care. The Child Care Rebate covers 50 per cent of out-of-pocket child care expenses for approved child care up to the annual cap. From July 2010, the Child Care Rebate annual cap is $7,500 per child per year.

Available for long day care centres but also for family day care, vacation and after-school care, the dollar factor could certainly make it worth your while to deal with a little bureaucratic red tape. Particularly if you have a clutch of little darlings.

To be eligible for the childcare rebate, you must be working or studying at least part time and be a resident of Australia. *Note: There is no income test. If you are eligible for Child Care Benefit, but your Child Care Benefit entitlement is zero due to income, you are still eligible for the Child Care Rebate.

You must have:

• used approved child care during the year;
• been eligible for Child Care Benefit (entitled at a rate of zero or more);
• passed the Child Care Benefit work, training, study test (for the purposes of the rebate).

Payments are generally quarterly but may be annual depending on your circumstances.

And it’s not as hard as you might think.

You can get assessed quite speedily by contacting your local Family Assistance Office. www.familyassist.gov.au/contact-us.php. Once you’re up and running, you can report your child care usage online by getting a Customer Access Number (CAN) and password.