Childcare - 2023 Budget - Wales

[PurplePansy05]

Following Jeremy Hunt's announcement, does anyone know what the plan is for childcare offer for under 3yo in Wales?

There are some extremely vague statements on Welsh Gov website about expanding Flying Start provision which they have been planning for a while. However, no one knows when, what, how and in any event, this isn't a response to today's UK budget. Flying Start would only offer 12.5 hrs per week and only to 2+ year olds as well which is completely insufficient.

Welsh Gov got £180m extra today but they didn't say a thing about matching England's childcare offer. Why? We desperately need funded childcare from end of maternity leave, asap!

I am very concerned we are being left out and shortchanged here in Wales. I am really worried nothing is being done in Wales whilst millions of parents in England will be getting support soon.

Any thoughts from fellow Welsh MNers?

Bump - anyone?

I was just having the exact same thoughts and came to MN hoping to find fellow outraged Welsh mums. I am shocked that this didn’t get any responses OP. Maybe the news hadn’t fully sunk in? I am Welsh but recently moved my young family back to Wales during Mat leave with DC2. Trying to navigate the minefield that is returning to any form of paid employment with 2 preschoolers is mind boggling. I am extremely angry that we are getting shortchanged in wales in comparison to England.

In England, my 2.5 year old would be eligible for 15 free funded hours/ week from April 2024. Instead, I am going to have to pay full-time childcare for him until 30 free hours kick in in September 2024. My 9 month old will start full-time childcare in April 2024 when my maternity leave ends and won’t benefit from any free funded hours until (possibly, although not confirmed) 2025 in wales. In England, she could have 15 free hours / week from September 2024, rising to 30 free hours the year after. This extra funding would be enormously beneficial to my family, open up much greater flexibility of opportunities for returning to work and generally enable us to survive a rubbish economy and ludicrous childcare costs. Without it, the costs for both being in childcare are over £2000 per month, effectively locking me out of paid work for a further 12 months. How can this be fair on Welsh working families or beneficial to Welsh government?

Thank you! Finally somebody replied!

I am still raging about this. Why the fuck does nobody, NOBODY hold Welsh Labour accountable for doing NOTHING to help us, parents?

They can stick their 12.5 hrs Flying Start up their ass, I'm not eligible and this entire neverending roll out is too slow and completely random! They had extra match funding from Westminster for childcare, where the hell is it gone??? Why has nothing been introduced this year?

And more importantly, why are we all fucking martyrs putting up with their abysmal incompetence???

For the record, I'm not Conservative either. But this is shocking! Drakeford is gone but them two potential successors, Miles and Gething - not a fucking word on childcare!

I am SO done with this. What do we need to do to make them do the right thing???

Sorry, I'm truly enraged as you can tell 😅 I seriously considered moving to England or to my family abroad, this country is one of proud people but shit politicians!

I’m in this boat. Moving from Cornwall to South Wales (originally from Cardiff). I didn’t realise until last month that Wales weren’t replicating the childcare agreement that England has, this is so frustrating. My first born will be two this month so will be loosing out on a year of the 12.5 hours free per week. I’m also going on mat leave in August, so hoping that something changes by the time 2nd baby can go to nursery!

That's terrible @Ac1234567. I'm debating another baby but honestly even on a decent salary, crippled with childcare costs here, it's a joke.