Ending the payment

The Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment will stop for a person granted a payment because they have youth activity obligations when:

• the child turns 5 years old or within 4 weeks after the child turns 5 years, when they are transitioning between pre-school and primary school or
• for children over 5 years whose parent intend to enrol them at a school with a cohort entry policy, Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment ends at the mid-term or term start date on or immediately after their 5th birthday (whichever is closer)or
• the young parent no longer has an eligible child attending an approved childcare centre or service or
• the young parent turns 20 years old:
• when the young parent turns 20 mid-way through a year and their child remains eligible, the payment may continue until the end of the course or if the course ends in December, until 31 March the following year or
• when the parent turns 20 years old and is still subject to youth activity obligations, payment will continue until those obligations cease, this would be 6 months following the date they where granted Young Parent Payment or
• the young parent has stopped attending the course or secondary institution

whichever is earlier.

Note children are not considered 'enrolled' unless they are 'attending' school.

For more information on when a young parent receiving Young Parent Payment can continue to get Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment after they turn 20 years old. See:

When a young parent is not getting a main benefit and is attending a full-time secondary institution, and they are still eligible for Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment can keep getting payments until:

• the child turns 5 years and 4 weeks old (if transitioning to school)and will be starting at a continuous entry school or
• the child is aged over 5 years and enrolled in a cohort entry school until the term or mid-term start date on or after the child's 5th birthday (whichever is closer) or
• the young parent no longer has an eligible child attending an approved childcare centre or service or
• they stop attending the secondary institution

whichever is earlier.

Note children at cohort entry schools are not considered 'enrolled' unless they are 'attending' school.

Parents do not need to formally apply for an extension of 4 weeks when their child turns 5 years old, if the school is a continuous entry school. However the client needs to tell us if their child will be starting at a cohort entry school.