The first phase of expansion for a flagship Welsh Government programme has exceeded its target, with early years provision the focus.
Announced by the Deputy Minister for Social Services, the Flying Start programme is helping to expand early years provision to all two-year-olds in the Wales, whilst also focusing on strengthening Welsh-medium provision. The first phase began in September 2022 and looking to deliver all four elements of the programme, which are:
- Free quality, part-time childcare for two- to three-year-olds
- An intensive health visiting service
- Access to parenting support
- Support for speech, language, and communication development.
As part of the expansion, which came as a commitment by both the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, the programme aimed to support childcare for a further 2,500 children between the ages of 0 and four. Thanks to local authority figures, the Welsh Government were able to announce that the programme had reached 3,178 children – 600 more than originally planned. Over the same period, the number of childcare places taken up in the Welsh language has also increased.
Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Social Services, said:
“We know high quality learning and are in early years supports child development and plays an important role in preparing children for school.
“So, I am delighted even more children have been able to benefit from the first phase of the expansion of Flying Start than we originally aimed.
“This is a testament to the work of local authorities, NHS and the childcare sector to extend Flying Start services and to provide high-quality provision – particularly in those communities facing the greatest challenges.
“Today’s conference is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements which have been realised as a result of this partnership working and share best practice as we continue this important work to support children and families.
“We are making excellent progress delivering on our Programme for Government commitment to expand funded childcare to two-year-olds. Our Childcare Offer also provides 30 hours of funded childcare a week for up to 48 weeks a year for three and four-year-olds of eligible parents, which includes parents in education or training – compared to 38 weeks of the year in England, which is for working parents only.”
Over the course of the next two years, Flying Start will carry on supporting more than 9,500 additional two-year-olds, thanks to an increase in investment worth £46 million. This funding is in addition to the Childcare Offer, which provide working parents, as well as those in education and training, with children between three and four years of age getting 30 hours of funded childcare for 48 weeks of the year.
Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, added:
“Many childcare start their learning journey in a childcare setting, and it is very heartening to see that take up of Welsh-medium childcare places has increased.
“Welsh belongs to us all, children learning and enjoying our language from an early start benefits them enormously. As a government we are committed to reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050 and encouraging new learning is crucial to achieving this. The funded childcare offer in the medium of Welsh is one of many ways in which we are providing practical support to new learners.”
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