Claiming 2011 Child Care Rebates and Benefits in Australia

What is the Child Care Rebate (CCR)?

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      From July 2011, you may choose to receive the rebate on a weekly or fortnightly basis, paid either to your care provider as a fee reduction or directly to your bank account.
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      Whether you receive a weekly or fortnightly CCR payment depends on when your provider submits your attendance data.
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      You can still choose to receive the rebate payments quarterly or annually as a lump sum directly to your bank account.
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      It pays up to 50% of your out of pocket expenses for the care up to an annual cap.
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      It is NOT income tested, so you may be eligible to receive it even if you don't get the benefit from your fees.
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      Your out of pocket care costs are calculated after deducting any CCB from your fees.



What is the Child Care Benefit (CCB)?

 This benefit is income tested and is usually paid directly to the providers to reduce the fees that eligible families pay.

To receive the CCR you must be eligible for Child Care Benefit (assessed at a rate of zero or more). This means: 

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      You must be using approved care provider, which includes care like Long Day, Family Day, Outside Schools Hours, Occasional and In Home.
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      You or your partner must be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident living in Australia or be exempt from the Government's residency requirements.
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      Children under seven years of age must meet the Government's immunisation requirements or have an exemption.
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      You must be the person responsible for your care costs. If your employer contributes through salary sacrificing or packaging, you should discuss with your employer who is responsible for the costs.
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      To also receive the CCR you and your partner (if applicable) must have work, training or study related commitments at some time during the week or have an exemption.



How to claim 

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      You must apply for the CCB to receive the CCR.
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      You must visit the Family Assistance Office to apply for the Child Care Benefit.
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      Your eligibility for the rebate will be automatically assessed by the Family Assistance Office. Payments will be made once the Family Assistance Office have received child care attendance details from your child care service/s.



It is important to remember that the Child Care Rebate is not income tested. You may be eligible to receive this rebate even though your family income is too high to receive the Child Care Benefit. If you would like more information on tax concessions, rebates or funding you may contact Government Grants Australia for assistance.

Tips To Create Customer Satisfaction Surveys

How can you create customer satisfaction surveys that people will be interested in and will actually fill out? Using customer survey templates can help and will give you a chance to know if you are meeting the expectations and needs of the customers. It is a good idea to consider using a program that will walk you through the process and will be able to make it easier for you to understand the importance of your customer's opinions. When you create quality customer satisfaction surveys you will have a great opportunity to increase your visibility with your customers and to strengthen your company.

Tip # 1 – Perceptions
When creating a customer satisfaction survey you need to use it to help clear up any perceptions that may not be valid about your organization. You need to understand things about the customers like what they look for when they buy from your company. You also need to ask them why they buy from you and not from your competition as well as if they will continue to buy from your company in the future.

Tip # 2 – Measurements
What are you planning to use in order to measure the results? You need to use a measurement program that helps you to close the gap between the product, the company, and their perceptions. It helps to find customers that really are diverse in their buying patterns to get the right type of results.

Tip # 3 – Plan Ahead
As you create customer satisfaction surveys to benefit the company you always need to plan ahead and look to the future. You need to set goals for the company that will help you remain successful for years and to ask customers questions that will be able to help you really get the right answers you need. Planning for the future and using the right measurements will point you in the right direction and plan ahead.

Survey software is quickly becoming one of the most used tools in big corporations. Quality surveys give you a chance to connect with your clients.  The goal is to use this data to make real changes to the product to increase client satisfaction.