#flyingstart — Public Fediverse posts

FUNDED CHILDCARE: Swansea families set to benefit as Welsh Government pumps £55m into expansion

Hundreds more two-year-olds across Wales will get funded childcare under a new cash injection — with Swansea already among the first areas to offer it.

Hundreds more families across Wales are in line for funded childcare after the Welsh Government announced a £55 million investment.

The money will speed up the rollout of 12.5 hours of funded childcare a week for all two-year-olds, delivered through councils including in Swansea.

Swansea was the second area in Wales to offer the scheme to every two-year-old, after Merthyr Tydfil, with Newport following soon after.

Wrexham has now joined that list, becoming the first North Wales authority to reach the milestone.

The £55m forms part of the Welsh Government’s First Supplementary Budget for 2026-27.

It includes £10m of capital funding to expand and improve childcare settings, aimed at boosting the quality and number of places available.

Ministers say the cash will help providers manage rising demand and stay afloat financially, while also supporting Welsh-medium childcare.

That ties into the long-standing target of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

The investment is a step towards the government’s wider promise of 20 hours of funded care a week for every child aged nine months to four years old.

At full rollout, ministers claim that offer will be the most generous anywhere in the UK.

Sioned Williams, the Plaid Cymru Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality, who holds the childcare brief, said the move showed the government was “accelerating our commitments to the families of Wales.”

“Childcare costs in Wales are the highest in the UK and I am determined to help families all over Wales, while also supporting children’s development,” she said.

She added that she was “particularly pleased” Wrexham was now expanding its offer, and that the government would keep working with councils to roll it out everywhere.

Research by Coram Family and Childcare last year found Wales had the highest holiday childcare costs of the British nations, lending weight to her claim.

A new expert steering group will advise on the next stages of the rollout, focusing on training enough staff, digital applications and improving access for families.

The funding lands just days after the policy behind it caused chaos in the Senedd.

Reform UK tabled a debate on 11 June demanding the new Plaid government publish full costings and a timetable for its childcare offer within its first 100 days.

But the motion was amended to point out that Reform’s own election manifesto contained no childcare commitments — and in a tangle that drew mockery, 11 Reform members ended up voting for the amended motion attacking their own party.

Reform has claimed the full childcare offer could cost between £388m and £710m a year, well above the roughly £400m figure Plaid has cited.

The latest announcement also marks a change of guard, with funded childcare milestones celebrated earlier this year by the then Labour government’s children’s minister, Dawn Bowden.

Welsh Labour lost power to Plaid Cymru at May’s Senedd election and now sits in opposition.

The party gave the funding a cautious welcome.

Lynne Neagle, Welsh Labour’s spokesperson for children, education and lifelong learning, welcomed the news that Wrexham would offer free childcare to all two-year-olds, and said she hoped more councils would follow.

She said the previous Welsh Labour government had worked to expand Flying Start provision across Wales, and that it was “great to see the government commit to our manifesto pledge and continue this work.”

But she said questions remained. “We await further information on the government’s supplementary budget, but as it stands there are still many unanswered questions around the funding commitments,” she said.

Flying Start is the Welsh Government’s flagship early-years programme, offering childcare, parenting support and health visiting to families with young children.

Funded childcare for two-year-olds is being expanded in phases, with the latest cash intended to widen access ahead of the next academic year.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Swansea becomes second area in Wales to offer Flying Start childcare to all two-year-olds
How the city reached the milestone in February.

Reform members split in childcare row as Plaid policy ‘could cost £710m’
The Senedd debate that descended into confusion.

South west Wales politicians take key roles in first Plaid Cymru cabinet
How Sioned Williams became Deputy First Minister.

Free childcare scheme to expand across Swansea says council
What the funded hours mean for two- and three-year-olds in the city.

Swansea becomes second area in Wales to offer Flying Start childcare to all two‑year‑olds

The milestone was marked with a visit from Minister for Children and Social Care Dawn Bowden, who met staff, parents and children at Swansea Children’s Centre to see how the scheme is supporting families across the city.

Swansea reaches key milestone in national rollout

Flying Start provides two‑and‑a‑half hours of high‑quality childcare a day, five days a week, for eligible two‑year‑olds. Swansea’s completion of the rollout means every family in the city can now apply for a place, regardless of where they live.

The Welsh Government is investing an additional £25m this year to expand Flying Start childcare, as part of a wider commitment to move Wales closer to universal childcare for all two‑year‑olds.

A national evaluation published this week found families consistently praised Flying Start for helping children develop confidence, independence, social skills and school readiness.

Dawn Bowden, Welsh Government Minister for Children and Social Care, said the expansion was a major step forward:

“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.”

She said the Welsh Government had prioritised expanding the scheme in disadvantaged communities first, ensuring provision was sustainable before widening access.

More than 13,000 children offered places across Wales

Between 2023 and 2025, Flying Start exceeded its target of supporting 9,500 additional two‑year‑olds. More than 13,400 childcare places were offered across Wales, with over 10,000 children taking up a place.

The total Welsh Government budget for high‑quality childcare this year is more than £150m.

Swansea Council welcomes expansion

Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said the achievement was the result of close partnership working:

“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.”

Families can find more information and apply for Flying Start childcare through Swansea Council’s website.

Free childcare scheme to expand across Swansea says council

The scheme provides up to 12.5 hours of funded childcare per week during term time for two‑ and three‑year‑olds. Places are available through school‑based nurseries, private providers, Welsh‑medium cylchs and registered childminders.

What Flying Start actually offers

Flying Start is essentially a package of early‑years support. For parents, the most immediate benefit is the free childcare hours, which can help reduce costs while giving toddlers structured play and learning before school. Alongside childcare, families are offered extra contact with health visitors, advice on parenting, and help with children’s speech and language development. The idea is to combine practical childcare with wider support for families during the crucial early years.

Council welcomes completion of rollout

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Alyson Anthony, said the funding was intended to “give young children the best possible start in life” and urged parents to take advantage of the offer.

Council leader Rob Stewart said the rollout meant “all parents and carers can now apply for Flying Start childcare,” regardless of where they live in Swansea. He noted the scheme is available in both Welsh and English settings and thanked Welsh Government for funding the initiative, which he said would “make a real difference to young children and their families.”

How to apply

Applications can be made online via Swansea Council’s eligibility tool. Parents and carers can also contact the Family Information Service on 01792 517222 or by emailing [email protected] for further guidance.

#childcare #childminder #cllrAlysonAnthony #cllrRobStewart #cylch #earlyYears #familyInformationService #flyingStart #healthVisitor #swansea #swanseaCouncil #toddler

Sprint results, full leaderboard, Max Verstappen wins to get Red Bull’s post Christian Horner-era off to flying start

Max Verstappen won the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday to get Red Bull’s post Christia…
#NewsBeep #News #Formula1 #AgenceFrancePresse #AU #Australia #BelgianGrand #careersprint #ChristianHorner #driverschampionship #F1 #flyingstart #LandoNorris #maxverstappen #post-Hornerera #SpaRecord #sports #Sprintresults #sprintwin #teamprincipal
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/23431/