Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Children’s Services.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Children’s Services.

The Service Manager,  Children’s  Services presented the report which updated Members on the continued roll out of the Welsh Government’s Childcare Offer in Blaenau Gwent and the first year of roll out in Torfaen County Borough Council.

Members commended the report and felt that the Authority helped working families with childcare support and gave 3 to 4 year old pre-school children a good start.

A Member enquired why information on parents who had increased their working hours was not presented at a local level.  The Service Manager, Children’s Services said that the extra hours parents worked could be provided at a local level and parents who worked 10 or 12 hours could be informed that they would be eligible for the Childcare Offer if they increased their hours to 16.

A Member commented that more detail on grants was needed and work with the third sector should be recognised and felt that a reporting mechanism should be included in the report in relation to people going back into work. The Service Manager, Children’s Services explained that the Welsh Government did not collect that information, however, a survey could be undertaken to ascertain how many people re-entered the job market as a consequence of the Childcare Offer.  The Member responded that this information could be provided by Communities for Work.  The Officer clarified that those numbers of people returning to work may not be as a result of the Childcare Offer.

In response to a Member’s question regarding Flying Start and the Childcare Offer, the Service Manager, Children’s Services clarified that Flying Start was only available in some areas and to the most vulnerable families in the community with children under 2 years of age.  The Childcare Offer applied to working parents with 3 or 4 year olds.  The Member enquired when the Flying Start scheme would be extended to include other areas with vulnerable parents who experienced issues around childcare.  The Officer explained that Flying Start numbers were capped by Welsh Government and only 1/3 of the Borough’s 0/3 year olds were included in the Flying Start scheme.  The Early Years services were complex and difficult for parents to navigate and it was hoped that the Pathfinder programme would make it clearer for parents. 

The Chair suggested that the Executive Member for Social Services write to the Welsh Government to express the concerns raised.

The Committee AGREED this course of action.

A Member enquired regarding who would be eligible for the Childcare Offer.  The Service Manager, Children’s Services said that the Early Years Team had been working closely with Job Centre Plus regarding eligibility and were trying to market the Offer to reach as many people as possible, a video had been prepared for parents with a step by step guide on how to apply. To maximise marketing, letters and postcards would also be sent to parents advising them of the Offer.

The Committee FURTHER AGREED, subject to the foregoing, to recommend that the report be accepted and endorse Option 2; namely that Members recommendation to Executive to improve the delivery of the Childcare Offer to both Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen residents be accepted.