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From September 2022, the Welsh Government is extending the Childcare Offer for Wales to parents in education and training and parents on adoption leave. Currently workless households are not eligible for government-funded childcare in addition to their early education entitlement.
The Childcare Offer provides up to 30 hours per week of government funded early education and childcare for children aged three and four across Wales.
The Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan MS, said:
‘It is fantastic we are able to continue expanding the Childcare Offer to increase the number of families accessing the offer. Increasing support with childcare costs for parents in education and training reflects the value we place on supporting people to improve their employment prospects by gaining qualifications, retraining or changing career paths.’
The Welsh Government has also announced an extra £6 million per year to increase the hourly rate for childcare providers from £4.50 to £5 per hour from April. The 11% increase will help provide greater sustainability across the childcare sector in Wales. Ministers have committed to reviewing the rate at least every three years.
In addition, a further £3.5 million will be invested in Flying Start childcare and £1.5 million will be used to support the continued alignment of the Foundation Phase nursery and childcare funding rates under the Childcare Offer.