What you can claim.
Craft and activity supplies you paid for yourself
Paint, glitter, storybooks, puzzles, sensory-play materials, stickers for the reward chart — if you bought them with your own money for your room and your centre didn't reimburse you, they're generally claimable. Keep every receipt, even the small ones; a handful of Kmart runs across the year adds up. If the centre paid you back, you can't claim it.
Compulsory uniform and laundry
If your centre requires a branded polo or a specific uniform carrying its logo, the cost of buying it and washing it is generally deductible where you paid and weren't reimbursed. Keep receipts for the uniform itself and a simple record of how often you wash it — with sand, paint and playground grime involved, that's most nights.
First aid, CPR and anaphylaxis training
Educators are usually required to hold current first aid, CPR, anaphylaxis and asthma-management certificates. If you paid for a course or a renewal yourself and your employer didn't reimburse you, the fee is generally deductible, and so is travel to attend. Keep the tax invoice, not just the certificate — you need proof of what you actually paid.
Self-education and professional development
Studying your Certificate III or Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care while already working in childcare is generally claimable — course fees, textbooks, stationery and some related costs. Short courses on child development, safe sleep or food safety count too. The catch: the study must relate to your current job, not a career change. Keep enrolment records and receipts.
Your Working with Children Check
This one trips people up. The check you paid for to get your first childcare job is generally not deductible — the ATO treats the cost of getting a job differently from the cost of doing it. Renewals while you're already employed sit in murkier territory. It's a perfect one to flag 'Ask my accountant' in your MYIDTAX return rather than guess.
Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses for outdoor duty
Yard supervision and outdoor play mean genuine sun exposure, and the ATO accepts sun-protection costs for workers whose duties put them outdoors. Sunscreen, a sun hat and sunglasses bought for work are generally claimable — apportioned if you also use them privately. Keep the receipts and be honest about the work-versus-personal split.
Union and professional association fees
Fees paid to a union such as the United Workers Union, or to an early-childhood professional association, are generally deductible in the year you pay them. They usually appear on your annual fee statement or your payslips, which makes this one of the easiest claims to substantiate — keep the statement with your tax records and it's done.
Phone, internet and after-hours programming at home
If you write learning stories, do programming in an app like Storypark or Xplor, or message families from home, you can generally claim the work portion of your phone and internet, or use the ATO's fixed-rate method for home working costs. Either way you need records — a diary of your work-from-home hours over a representative period is the usual approach.
What you generally can't claim: plain clothes and the commute
Comfortable leggings, plain shirts and sneakers aren't deductible even if you only ever wear them to work and they get wrecked by paint. The same goes for driving from home to your centre — that's private travel. But if you work across multiple centres and drive between them during the day, that travel generally is claimable; keep a logbook or diary.
What to have ready.
- Your income statement, finalised by your employer through myGov
- Receipts for craft supplies, uniforms, sunscreen and anything else you bought for work (photos are fine)
- Tax invoices for first aid, CPR or any course you paid for yourself
- Your union or professional association annual fee statement
- A simple diary of laundry, home-working hours and any travel between centres
Start your tax return.
Answer simple questions online — tick “Ask my accountant” on anything you’re unsure about. A real accountant reviews your return and emails you. Nothing is charged until your final fee is confirmed.
Start for $99Common questions.
Can I claim the toys and craft supplies I buy for my room?
Generally yes — if you paid with your own money, weren't reimbursed, and the items are for your work rather than your own kids at home. The amounts are often small, which is exactly why educators skip them, but a year of trips to Kmart and the discount shop adds up. Keep receipts or photograph them as you go; no records usually means no claim.
Is my Working with Children Check tax deductible?
Usually not the initial one — the ATO generally treats the cost of checks required to get a job as private rather than work-related. Whether a renewal while you're already employed is claimable is less clear-cut, and getting it wrong either way costs you. If you're unsure, don't guess: flag it for your accountant and let them make the call on your circumstances.
Can I claim my Diploma of Early Childhood while I'm working as an educator?
If you're already employed in childcare and the study maintains or improves the skills you use in that job — or is likely to increase your income from it — course fees and related costs are generally deductible. If the course is a stepping stone into a different field, they're not. Keep enrolment records, receipts and a note of how the study connects to your current role.
How does MYIDTAX work for childcare workers?
You answer simple questions online in a few minutes — from $99, with nothing charged upfront. Anywhere you're unsure, choose 'Ask my accountant' instead of guessing. A real accountant reviews your return, emails you if anything needs checking, and confirms your final fee by email before sending a secure Stripe invoice. Once that's sorted, they lodge with the ATO. Everything happens over email, on your schedule.
This guide is general information only and doesn’t consider your personal circumstances — it isn’t tax advice. Eligibility rules, rates and thresholds change; your accountant confirms what applies to you before anything is lodged. Keep receipts for everything you claim.