WIREDGOV

A further seven local authorities across Wales are set to pilot the Welsh Government’s new ground-breaking childcare offer, Minister for Children, Huw Irranca-Davies announced yesterday.

When rolled out across Wales by September 2020, the offer will provide 30 hours of Welsh Government-funded early education and childcare to working parents of 3 and 4 year olds for 48 weeks of the year.

The Minister yesterday announed the offer is being extended to cover the following local authority areas from September 2018:

• Cardiff – phased introduction
• Newport – phased introduction
• Torfaen – the entire county
• Neath Port Talbot – phased introduction
• Ceredigion – the entire county
• Conwy – phased introduction
• Wrexham – phased introduction

The offer is currently available in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Caerphilly, Flintshire, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea and Blaenau Gwent.

Yesterday’s announcement means the number of authorities delivering the offer will double by this September, demonstrating progress and real momentum. The offer is expected to be delivered in at least some parts of most local authorities in Wales by September 2019.

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies said:

“Our ground-breaking childcare offer is making a real difference to parents right across Wales, reducing the strain on family income and helping ensure childcare is not a barrier to them taking up employment or increasing their hours.

“I’m delighted to confirm the offer is being rolled out to seven more local authorities across Wales, as we continue the work to roll out the offer across the entire country by September 2020.”