What is the Childcare Offer for Wales?
The Childcare Offer will provide working parents with 30 hours of early education and childcare for three and four-year-olds, for up to 48 weeks per year. The offer will build on children’s existing early education entitlement during term time, and provide 30 hours of childcare for nine weeks of the holidays.
What does it mean for me as a provider?
Providing you are registered with CIW and the Welsh Government Digital System, you could receive funding for eligible children accessing the offer in your setting.
Do I need to deliver the Foundation Phase to deliver the childcare element of the offer?
No. Some children will continue to access early education in maintained settings. Childcare providers do not need to deliver both the early education and childcare elements of the offer.
Do I need to be able to deliver the offer for 48 weeks per year to take part?
No. Parents can access the offer through different providers that best suit their circumstances. Providers who only offer term-time provision, or provision only the in school holidays, can still deliver the offer, depending on the needs of the parents.
How much will I get paid?
All providers will receive a rate of £5.00 per hour for children receiving the childcare element of the offer.
Can I charge parents a top-up rate?
No. You cannot charge hourly top-up rates if you’d normally charge more than £5.00 per hour.
Can I charge for food and additional activities?
Yes. If necessary, you can charge parents for additional elements such as food, transport and off-site activities which incur a cost. The Welsh Government guidelines in respect of setting additional fees under the offer for a full day care session (approximately 10 hours) are that parents should not be charged more than £9.00 per day (this would include three meals at £2.50 per meal and 2 snacks at a charge of 75p per snack). For a half day session (approximately 5.5 hours) parents should not be charged more than £5.75 (two meals at £2.50 per meal plus a snack at a charge of 75p per snack). For sessional care where a meal is not provided but children receive a snack, guidelines are that parents should not be charged more than 75p per day for snack provision.
New Digital Service
Payments for children who start receiving Childcare Offer funded hours from January 2023 must be claimed for using this digital service.
If you are already offering the Childcare Offer you still need to sign up to the new digital service.
Parents will not be able to choose you as their childcare setting if you have not registered.
Payments for children on the new digital system will come directly to the bank account you have given details for when you register. Payments will come directly from Welsh Government for these children.
Please note that if you have existing children on the old system (the legacy system) then you will use both the old and the new system for a while.Â