Welsh Government continuing to provide children with a Flying Start

14 Jul 2016 12:48 PM

Figures out yesterday show that 38,269 children benefitted from Flying Start services in Wales during 2015-16.

Flying Start is the Welsh Government’s targeted early years programme for families with children under 4 years of age living in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Wales. It provides free, quality, part-time childcare for 2-3 year olds; an enhanced health visiting service; access to parenting programmes; and support for speech language and communication.

In 2014-15, the Welsh Government met its target to deliver Flying Start to 36,000 children by 2016 - a year ahead of schedule. These latest figures show the target has been exceeded by over two thousand, with more than 38,000 children benefiting from the programme over 2015-16.

Some of the other key statistics presented also show:

Flying Start health visitors worked with 25% of all children under the age of 4 during 2015-16
86 per cent of offers of childcare in a Flying Start setting were taken up during 2015-16
93 per cent of children aged 3 and living in Flying Start areas were on roll at a maintained school in 2015
83 per cent of children living in Flying Start areas were fully immunised by their 4th birthday during 2014-15.

Welcoming the figures, Communities and Children’s Secretary Carl Sargeant said:

“Flying Start has provided much needed support to families living in some of the most disadvantaged communities across Wales for the last decade. The number of families that benefit from the programme has continued to rise.

“As this year marks the 10th anniversary of Flying Start now is a good point to highlight the many achievements of the programme as well as looking at how it can continue to work well in the future.

“I am fundamentally committed to doing everything I possibly can to give children in Wales the very best start in life. Flying Start is a key early intervention programme for the Welsh Government, helping to improve children’s life chances and reducing the need for later remedial action. It lends itself well to tackling adverse childhood experiences which can have a long-lasting impact on young people throughout their lives.”

Welsh Government continuing to provide children with a Flying Start

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