30-hour offer reopens in Wales this month

The Welsh Government suspended its extended three and four-year-old offer to new entrants to allow resources to be refocused to support the needs of critical workers and vulnerable children through the Coronavirus Childcare Assistance Scheme (C-SAS). As of the end of July, just over 9,000 children were accessing the scheme.

With the new school term starting next month, the offer will reopen for applications enabling families to start accessing the funded childcare, Wales’ deputy minister for health and social care Julie Morgan has announced.

Parents whose children would have been eligible for the 30 hours in the summer term, but who missed out on a full term because they had not started taking up the offer before the coronavirus pandemic, will be able to submit their applications from the middle of this month.

For those whose children become eligible for the offer in the autumn term, applications will be considered from the start of September onwards.

Further details will be available on local authority websites and through Family Information Services.

Local authorities will continue to receive money through the Additional Support grant to ensure any child with additional needs can benefit from the Childcare Offer.

The deputy minister for health and social care, Julie Morgan, said, ‘We have been working with our partners in recent weeks to explore our options for restarting the offer. I feel extremely indebted, especially to local authorities, for the way they have risen to the challenges of the past few months, administering the Coronavirus Childcare Assistance Scheme and supporting families with their very diverse and often complex needs.

‘Childcare providers have been fantastic too, many of whom stayed open when the virus was at its most prevalent to ensure that critical workers were able to contribute effectively to the national effort against the pandemic.

‘Many families will have suffered financial hardship as a result of Covid-19. Some workers will have been hit harder than others and we know that for many women childcare has been a real barrier in terms of their capacity to work. Bringing the Offer back will not only help parents, but it is crucial for providers too in supporting their businesses to recover after what has been a period of great uncertainty and anxiety for many.’

The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said the news would 'give some certainty to the sector'.

Chief executive Purnima Tanuku commented, 'It’s good news that the Welsh Government is to reopen the Childcare Offer to new entrants and that they are continuing to review the funding rates paid to providers.

'On average, nurseries have told us they have around half their usual numbers of children attending, so this decision will give some certainty to the sector, support parents and go towards making nurseries more sustainable.

'Childcare providers have gone above and beyond during lockdown and since then to make their settings as safe as they can for staff and children. However, changes like increased cleaning, working with smaller groups and installing new facilities all come at a cost. We have seen some countries make transitional funds available to support nurseries and childcare settings with these adjustments.

'In our recent survey, increased operating costs and lower occupancy meant over 60 per cent of providers expected to operate at a loss for the coming few months. This is clearly not sustainable for nurseries or the families who need those childcare places as they return to work.'

• The guidance for local authorities on reopening applications for the Childcare Offer is available here