Lumora Pakenham Centre is opening soon — tours are now open for baby, toddler and kinder places.
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Fees and CSS
Fees, subsidies and kinder funding, in plain language
Child care funding is a lot of acronyms. These short guides explain what each part means, who pays what, and where the money comes off — so you can work out your family's cost before you visit.
Our guides
Start here
Each guide stands on its own, so you can read just the one you need today and come back for the rest when kinder gets closer.
Child Care Subsidy
The main government payment towards child care: who is eligible, the 2026–27 rates, the 3 Day Guarantee and how your gap fee is worked out.
Read the guideFree Kindergarten
How the Victorian Government's Free Kinder program works in long day care: who is eligible, how the offset appears on your invoice, and how much you save.
Read the guideChild Care Subsidy calculator
Estimate your subsidy percentage, the hourly cap and your weekly out-of-pocket cost at either centre — in about a minute.
Read the guideHow to enrol
From your first tour to your child's first day: the steps, the paperwork and when to start the Child Care Subsidy claim.
Read the guideThe short version
How the money fits together
On your invoice, not a claim
There is nothing to apply for at the centre — funding is settled between the government and the service.
Stacked with CCS
Your Child Care Subsidy comes off the fee first, then any government kinder offset is applied on top.
Checked against official sources
Every guide on this page is written from Victorian Government and Services Australia information and dated when we last checked it.
The best way to get to know us
Come and visit. Our Centre Manager will show you around and answer every question, with no pressure to decide on the day.
Prefer to talk? Call Ballarat on 03 5340 0726 or Pakenham on 0406 929 780.