 Welsh Ministers have allocated funding to each Local Authority in Wales to secure continued provision for the childcare sector by supporting providers facing sustainability issues.
Childcare providers should only apply for where there is a clear need to support the sustainability of the childcare provision and a real risk of setting closure in the long term due to the detrimental impact of the Covid19 Pandemic.
If you have any queries or require further guidance or need support to complete your application, please contact your specified Childcare Officer.
Please complete the application form and read and sign the terms and conditions. Return both documents to fis@caerphilly.gov.uk
Applications will be accepted throughout this financial year 2021-2022, but funding is limited so we encourage you to apply early if you feel you meet the requirements of the grant award.
 On Monday 8 November we sent you a special bulletin to let you know that your service is now advertised on Dewis. It contains some important information, including instructions on how to register your account. This is essential for you to continue to advertise your service on Dewis. We need you to do this by the end of December.
If you have any questions about this, please contact fis@caerphilly.gov.uk.
 Caerphilly Council is required to develop a Five Year Welsh Language Strategy in accordance with the requirements of Welsh Language Standard 145 under the Welsh Language Standards (No.1) Regulations 2015.
The aim of the strategy is to set out actions on how we intend to promote the Welsh language, increase the number of Welsh speakers and the use of Welsh in the county borough.
We are conducting a consultation to seek your views on the set of draft actions set out in the draft action plan.
The survey will only take a few minutes to complete and the closing date is Wednesday 24 November 2021.
We are pleased to introduce you to a new member of the childcare development team Michelle Price, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in the childcare sector. Michelle is covering the maternity leave of Gemma Morgan who has recently given birth to a healthy little boy.
We know it has been a long time since we have been able to visit you so we are delighted to say that we have now restarted our face-to-face visits. Please also remember the childcare development officers are available to offer advice and support by telephone or email whenever you need it.
Glynis Huish HUISHG@CAERPHILLY.GOV.UK 07747445208
Nicola Greenway GREEN1@CAERPHILLY.GOV.UK 07717467374
Michelle Price PRICEMA@CAERPHILLY.GOV.UK 07596887139
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From the Summer of 2022 the Welsh Government is planning for the Childcare Offer for Wales to go digital!
The Childcare Offer national digital service is currently being developed and tested with Local Authorities, childcare providers and parents.
What does this mean for childcare providers?
If you are a childcare provider who currently provides Childcare Offer hours or wishes to provide Childcare Offer hours from Autumn 2022, you will need to register online with the new Childcare Offer for Wales national digital service from early 2022.
Parents will be applying for the Childcare Offer online via the national digital service during the summer of 2022 ready for their child to start in September.
FAQs for providers will be made available to support with any queries. These are available via Childcare Offer for Wales: National Digital Service | GOV.WALES and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Mudiad Meithrin’s National Awards Ceremony (Seremoni Gwobrau Mudiad Meithrin) was held on Saturday 2 October at Theatr y Werin, Aberystwyth.
It was fantastic to see staff from our childcare settings being recognised for their achievements:
- Michelle Killey, Chair and RI of Cylch Meithrin Tonyfelin was awarded 3rd place for Volunteer of the year.
- Kate Jenkins, Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Caerphilly was awarded 1st place as Leader of a Cylch Meithrin.
Huge congratulations to Michelle and Kate for their success.
Mudiad Meithrin’s Awards ceremony is a great way to raise the profile of staff at childcare settings. Staff have worked tirelessly during the pandemic and this has shown how important their service is to local communities and the economy.
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In recent engagement with childcare providers, the issue of the rate paid for Childcare Offer hours came up as an issue that providers were concerned about.
The initial hourly rate was set using data from the Self-Assessment of Service Statement Data Collection (SASS) by Care Inspectorate Wales report 2017. The evaluation of year 2 of the Offer and showed that 79% of settings agreed that the £4.50 hourly rate was commercially viable. However we recognise that things have moved on and a review to understand the impact of the hourly rate paid to providers under the Offer commenced in 2019. This was paused due to the pandemic but has now restarted. We are currently in the process of reviewing the hourly rate for childcare paid for through our Childcare Offer for Wales scheme and hope to have an outcome to share with stakeholders in late Autumn.
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