Long day care near me
Long day care is centre-based childcare for children from birth to school age, open at least 8 hours a day, typically Monday to Friday. 9,729 approved services in Australia offer it, and 77% open by 7:00am. It averaged $14.60 an hour in the June quarter 2026, before the Child Care Subsidy.
What long day care is
Long day care is approved childcare in a centre, staffed by a team of educators, that cares for babies, toddlers and preschoolers through a full working day. The Child Care Subsidy rules call it centre based day care. Parents call it daycare, a childcare centre or an early learning centre.
The state or territory regulator sets how many children a centre can enrol, based on the size of the building and outdoor play space. Children are usually grouped into rooms by age, and educators often work a morning or an afternoon shift across the long day. Ratios are set nationally for each age group, with some state differences:
| Age | Educators to children |
|---|---|
| Birth to 24 months | 1 to 4, all states |
| 24 to 36 months | 1 to 5 (1 to 4 in Victoria) |
| 36 months to preschool age | 1 to 11 (1 to 10 in NSW, Tasmania and WA) |
Ratios are counted across the whole centre, not room by room. The detail by state is on childcare ratios.
Long day care hours
Of the 9,361 long day care services with Monday hours on the national register, 77% open by 7:00am and 88% stay open until 6:00pm or later. The most common opening time is 6:30am and the most common closing time is 6:00pm. Only 90 long day care services list Saturday hours.
Centres charge by the session, and the subsidy is worked out on the hours of the session you are charged for, not the hours your child attends. Compare session lengths as well as daily fees: divide the daily fee by the session hours to get a like-for-like hourly fee.
Long day care fees by state
Long day care averaged $14.60 an hour nationally in the June quarter 2026. Australian Capital Territory had the highest average at $16.50 and Northern Territory the lowest at $13.20. The table shows a 10-hour day at each state's average fee and what a family earning $120,000 (84% subsidy) pays after the Child Care Subsidy.
| State or territory | Services | Per hour | 10-hour day | You pay, $120k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 3,736 | $14.85 | $148.50 | $23.76 |
| Victoria | 2,157 | $14.65 | $146.50 | $23.44 |
| Queensland | 1,954 | $14.15 | $141.50 | $22.64 |
| Western Australia | 954 | $14.90 | $149.00 | $23.84 |
| South Australia | 508 | $14.10 | $141.00 | $22.56 |
| Tasmania | 143 | $13.35 | $133.50 | $21.36 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 181 | $16.50 | $165.00 | $37.40 |
| Northern Territory | 96 | $13.20 | $132.00 | $21.12 |
| Australia | 9,729 | $14.60 | $146.00 | $23.36 |
Fees by care type, income and number of children are in the childcare fees guide.
The Child Care Subsidy cap for long day care
The 2026-27 hourly cap for long day care is $15.19 for children below school age and $13.30 for school-age children, from 6 July 2026. Any part of the hourly fee above the cap gets no subsidy, so the family pays it in full. The average fee in Australian Capital Territory ($16.50) is above the cap, which is why the gap there is higher than the fee difference alone suggests.
Estimate the gap for your own fee, days and income with the CCS calculator, or read the Child Care Subsidy guide.
What long day care includes
- An educational program. Every approved centre must provide an educational program and employ an educational leader who guides it.
- Preschool or kindergarten. 883 long day care services list a preschool program on the register, so a child can do the year before school without changing centre. See kindergarten and preschool.
- Meals and nappies. These vary by centre. Ask whether the daily fee covers meals, formula, nappies, wipes and sunscreen.
- Excursions and visitors. Centres must ask your permission before taking a child out and share a risk assessment of the trip. Some invite visitors for music, sport or technology activities.
How long day care services are rated
Of 9,111 rated long day care services, 16% are rated Exceeding the NQS or Excellent, against 18% of all 17,165 rated services. 618 long day care services have no rating yet. Each centre's rating is on its page; read how ratings work.
| Overall rating | Long day care | Share | All services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 13 | 0% | 0% |
| Exceeding the NQS | 1,419 | 16% | 18% |
| Meeting the NQS | 6,990 | 77% | 75% |
| Working Towards the NQS | 688 | 8% | 7% |
| Significant Improvement Required | 1 | 0% | 0% |
Weighing a centre against a home-based option? Family day care has one educator and up to 7 children, and types of childcare compares every option. For questions to ask on a centre tour, see how to choose a childcare centre, and for getting a place, childcare waitlists.
Frequently asked questions
What age is long day care for?
Long day care takes children from birth to school age. Most centres group children by age, for example a 0 to 2 room, a 2 to 3 room and a 3 to 5 room.
What are the hours of long day care?
Long day care runs for at least 8 hours a day, typically Monday to Friday. 77% of long day care services open by 7:00am and 88% stay open until 6:00pm or later; the most common hours are 6:30am to 6:00pm.
How much does long day care cost per day?
Long day care averaged $14.60 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $146 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. A family earning $120,000 pays about $23 of that.
Is long day care the same as a childcare centre or daycare?
Yes. Long day care, childcare centre, daycare and early learning centre all describe the same service type. The Child Care Subsidy rules call it centre based day care.
Does long day care include kindergarten?
Many centres run a preschool or kindergarten program for children in the year or two before school. 883 long day care services list one on the national register.
Are meals and nappies included in long day care fees?
It depends on the centre. Some include meals and nappies in the daily fee and some ask you to supply them, so compare what each fee covers before comparing prices.
Service counts, hours and ratings: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026. Hourly caps: Department of Education, 2026-27, from 6 July 2026. Ratios: ACECQA, educator to child ratios. Definition, rooms, meals and excursions: Starting Blocks, types of services and choosing between family day care and long day care, read October 2026.