From 5 January 2026, the Australian Government will introduce the 3 Day Guarantee, giving all CCS-eligible families access to a minimum of 72 hours of subsidised early childhood education and care (ECEC) per fortnight, regardless of their activity-test hours.
This is one of the most significant CCS reforms in years — and it will affect families, educators, operations, finances, CCS processing, session structures and occupancy.
This comprehensive BEST article explains everything childcare services need to know about the 3 Day Guarantee starting 5 January 2026. It covers:
• What the changes mean for families, educators and services
• What families must do before January 2026
• What services need to do now and in January
• How to prepare your childcare software for CCS changes
• Whether new CWAs are required (yes, for most families)
• How to use these reforms to increase occupancy
• Full QIP entries for QA6 and QA7, already written and ready to insert into your service’s QIP
Childcare Compliance
The 3 Day CCS Guarantee — Supporting Families, Educators, and Services for January 2026
