The Welsh Government is making more than £670,000 available to ensure children with special educational needs are able to access the Childcare Offer, Minister for Children has announced.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The Welsh Government has committed to provide 30 hours of government-funded early education and childcare for up to 48 weeks of the year for eligible working parents of three and four year olds in Wales.
The Childcare Offer is currently being rolled-out across Wales. It will be available across the country by 2020.
The £670,000 SEN Grant is being provided to ensure the childcare element of the offer is inclusive to eligible children with SEN.
It will be used by local authorities to remove the potential barriers preventing parents with children they believe have, or have been identified with SEN, from accessing the childcare element of the offer.
Minister for Children, Huw Irranca-Davies said:
“I’m pleased to make this funding available to the childcare sector to ensure children with special educational needs can benefit from the Welsh Government’s ground-breaking Childcare Offer.
“The provision of affordable, available and accessible childcare will support our drive to increase economic growth, tackle poverty and reduce inequalities. It will also provide opportunities and long-term benefits for our children and improve their life chances.
“The evidence is clear that well-paid work is the best route out of poverty, and the greatest protection against poverty. The Childcare Offer will support working families across Wales and make it easier for parents to take up and retain employment.”