More than 31,000 children in Wales benefited from Flying Start services last year, according to a new Welsh Government report. The new figures show that a third more children were benefiting from Flying Start services than the year before (31,322 compared with 23,579).
To mark this achievement Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty, Vaughan Gething, was in Bridgend today (16 July) opening two new Flying Start centres.
Flying Start facilities offer eligible parents free quality childcare for 2-3 year olds, parenting support, an enhanced health visitor service and help for early language development. They help families to look after their children’s health and well being.
The Deputy Minster said:
“Flying Start changes people’s lives and is one of the Welsh Government’s top priorities. We are committed to ensuring that children and families living in some of our most disadvantaged communities are given support to ensure that they have the best possible start in life.
“Our aim is to double the number of children, and families, benefiting from Flying Start, from 18,000 to 36,000 by 2016. This expansion will enable us to reach a quarter of all children under the age of four.
“The report published this week is the second of its kind and I am delighted that in just a year the Welsh Government has increased the number of children benefiting from the scheme by a third. We are well on the way to meeting our target.
“The expansion of our Flying Start programme is progressing well in Bridgend County Borough. More than 1,400 children are expected to be supported across the county through the programme this year. The Welsh Government has invested just over £2 million in capital projects to support the roll out of Flying Start across the county. This has enabled us to create high quality settings for Flying Start children and families within communities in Bridgend County Borough.
“Our commitment can be seen across the country where tens of thousands of children and their families are benefiting from their local Flying Start services. At the same time that the Welsh Government is expanding Flying Start in Wales it is a sad fact that hundreds of Sure Start centres in England have closed since 2010.”
The Deputy Minister opened two new Bridgend settings, one in Sarn and the other in Blackmill.
The Sarn setting is a former nursery school that will provide services for 60 children and received Welsh Government funding of £652,276.
The Blackmill centre is a new building to provide facilities for another 16 children and received Welsh Government funding of £537,591.
