The Commonwealth first became involved with funding child care in a substantial way in 1972; in that year the it provided funding ($6.5 million in the first year) for non-profit organisations to operate centre-based day care facilities for children of working and sick parents. Since that time Commonwealth involvement and funding for child care has grown enormously, such that it now outlays almost $1.7 billion annually on child care. This Research Note presents Commonwealth funding data for child care over the past decade.