Find out more about Wales nursery funding from Flying Start and Childcare Offer for Wales, by NDNA Cymru’s policy experts.
Rising costs and stagnant funding rates are putting increasing pressure on private and voluntary nurseries in Wales as National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru reveals its 2024 survey results here.
You can direct parents to the Welsh Government’s Teulu parenting website for support.
Childcare Offer for Wales
Under the Childcare Offer for Wales, parents of three and four-year-olds could claim up to 30 hours of early education and childcare a week, for up to 48 weeks of the year.
- Childcare Offer for Wales guidance for providers and information for parents
- Childcare Offer for Wales guidance for local authorities
Flying Start
Flying Start helps families with children under four-years-old in disadvantaged areas of Wales. The Flying Start programme in Wales is being rolled out currently with more areas being brought on board.
Help available includes:
- Part-time childcare for two to three-year-olds for 12.5 hours per week for 39 weeks of the year
- An enhanced Health Visiting service
- Access to parenting programmes
- Support for children to learn to talk and communicate.
The Flying Start programme is currently going through an expansion for the childcare element.
- Flying Start information from the Welsh Government.
- Phased expansion of Flying Start programme.
Downloads: template letters to parents and MPs/MSs – additional employer costs from 2025
Our members have asked us to provide a template letter they can send to their local MPs/MS(s) and also to parents to explain about the challenges that early years providers are facing, especially regarding the higher employment costs which will come from April 2025 as a result of the Budget. Many of you are having to put up your fees as a result and need to explain why.
NDNA has put together a template letter – which you can adapt and update depending on your own circumstances – for you to send to parents. You can use the letter in full or choose sections that back up your own points. We have included national background information and statistics that should support your main arguments.
We have also written a template letter to send to your local MP/MS(s). It would be most effective if you add in local information, how this impacts on your own setting.
