Welsh government’s Flying Start scheme extends to second local authority after Merthyr Tydfil, which took up the scheme in September
A second local authority in Wales is now offering free childcare to all two year-olds as the Welsh government’s Flying Start programme extends across the country. The aim is to make this provision available to all two year-olds in Wales.
Photo by Aaron Burden / Unsplash
This year alone, the Welsh government is investing £25m in the scheme the Flying Start scheme, which provides fully funded, high-quality childcare for 2.5 hours a day, five days a week. This is good for the children, supporting them in socialisation, independence, confidence and readiness for school.
Flying Start was originally launched in 2006-07, but since 2022-23 it has been expanded, with a specific aim to reach communities with the highest levels of deprivation that had not yet been reached. A national evaluation of the Flying Start’s first year of the expanded programme was published last week and notes consistent praise from participating families.
Indeed, the scheme has expanded well beyond target. The plan had been to offer places to 9,500 additional two year-olds over the period 2023-25. In fact, childcare places were offered to more than 13,400 children, and more than 10,000 took up those places.
Dawn Bowden MS, Minister for Children and Social Care, says: ‘Our childcare programmes make a real difference for children and their families. Today’s announcement is a key milestone in Flying Start’s journey and means every family in Swansea with a two year-old is now able to access high-quality childcare provision.
‘Across Wales, we have prioritised rolling out Flying Start childcare to our more disadvantaged communities and made sure provision is sustainable before extending the programme to reach more two-year-olds. This significant expansion for two year-olds is part of a wider package of investment in the early years. Our total budget for high quality childcare this year is more than £150m.
‘We will continue to work with local authorities so that we can give every child in Wales the best possible start in life.’
Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, adds: ‘We are very grateful to our colleagues in Welsh Government for funding this initiative which is making a real difference to young children and their families. I’m also proud that our team has worked hard to complete the roll-out so no matter where you live in Swansea, all parents and carers can now apply for Flying Start childcare across a range of settings and through both the medium of Welsh and English.’
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