Childcare in Wales: What is available as England get new rules
Parents across Wales are calling for a mirroring of a new childcare scheme that's being rolled out in England. Working parents in England can now get 15 hours per week of free childcare for two year olds from April 2024, which will be extended to thirty hours weekly for all under fives by September of 2025. But childcare for Wales is a devolved issue so the rules are slightly different.
Currently, there are two Welsh government schemes in place. The childcare offer means parents of children aged three and four can get 30 free hours per week for 48 weeks in the year, provided they meet certain criteria like earning less than £100,000 per year, or working at least 16 hours a week. And then, the Flying Start provides 12.5 hours per week to some two-year-olds living in more deprived areas of the country.
At the start of the year, Vaughan Gething promised to expand free childcare in Wales if he was elected. The first minister's promise followed a petition calling for the English scheme to be matched in Wales. But the scheme has faced backlash amid claims there won't be enough spaces for all who apply.
Currently, there are two Welsh government schemes in place. The childcare offer means parents of children aged three and four can get 30 free hours per week for 48 weeks in the year, provided they meet certain criteria like earning less than £100,000 per year, or working at least 16 hours a week. And then, the Flying Start provides 12.5 hours per week to some two-year-olds living in more deprived areas of the country.
At the start of the year, Vaughan Gething promised to expand free childcare in Wales if he was elected. The first minister's promise followed a petition calling for the English scheme to be matched in Wales. But the scheme has faced backlash amid claims there won't be enough spaces for all who apply.
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00:00 Parents across Wales are calling for a mirroring of a new childcare scheme that's being rolled
00:08 out in England. Working parents in England can now get 15 hours per week of free childcare
00:13 for two-year-olds from April 2024, which will be extended to 30 hours weekly for all under-fives
00:19 by September of 2025. But childcare for Wales is a devolved issue, so the rules are slightly
00:24 different. Currently, there are two Welsh government schemes in place. The childcare
00:28 offer means parents of children aged three and four can get 33 hours per week for 48
00:33 weeks in the year, provided they meet certain criteria, like earning less than £100,000
00:38 per year or working at least 16 hours a week. And then the flying starts provides 12.5 hours
00:43 per week to some two-year-olds living in more deprived areas of the country. At the start
00:48 of the year, Vaughan Gething promised to expand free childcare in Wales if he was elected.
00:52 The First Minister's promise followed a petition calling for the English scheme to be matched
00:56 in Wales, but the scheme has faced backlash amid claims there won't be enough spaces for
01:00 all who apply.
01:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]