Flying Start: April 2018 to March 2019

It presents statistics from a management information set. For example, the numbers of children using Flying Start services, together with developing statistics about outcomes for Flying Start children.

Main points

• 36,367 children received (benefitted from) Flying Start services during 2018-19; 1% lower than in 2017-18 (36,869) but 0.4% greater than the number expected for the year.
• Flying Start children up to age 4 were seen an average of 6.2 times during 2018-19 by health visitors and members of the wider health team, slightly less than in 2017-18 (6.9 contacts per child).
• 88% of offers of childcare in a Flying Start childcare setting were taken up during 2018-19, a slight increase since 2017-18 (87%).
• 93% of children aged 3 and living in Flying Start areas were on roll at a maintained school (2018), no change since 2017.
• Breastfeeding rates at 10 days old increased across Wales in 2017 compared to 2016, but remained lower in Flying Start areas (35%) than in non-Flying Start areas (51%).
• 83% of children living in Flying Start areas were fully immunised by their 4th birthday (2018-19), a slight increase since 2017-18.
• Flying Start areas have a lower prevalence (71%) of healthy weight1 children than non-Flying Start areas (74%) (2016/17 and 2017/18).