Written Statement: Flying Start Capital Funding Announcement

I am pleased to announce a grant award of just over £5.2 million of Welsh Government capital funding to 70 Flying Start projects across Wales to help improve, develop or extend the settings in which Flying Start provision takes place.

This funding represents a significant, continued investment in the infrastructure of our flagship early years programme and will enable Local Authorities to create new facilities, make building improvements and to carry out essential repair work. The grant will also support Flying Start services to become more Covid-secure during 2021-2022 by funding the necessary capital resources required to support social distancing, to create better access and to aid virtual communication with children and families.

This additional funding brings our total capital investment in Flying Start to nearly £76m since 2006.

Flying Start supports families living in some of the most disadvantaged communities across Wales. It offers twelve and a half hours of high quality fully funded childcare a week for 2-3 year olds; support for the development of children’s speech, language and communication; parenting support; and an enhanced health visitor service.

Funding is awarded to the 17 Local Authorities in Wales who applied for the grant this year.

I attach a list of projects that have received funding.

I look forward to seeing the developments take shape and help support delivery of services for children and families in the areas Flying Start serves.  

Anglesey

• £100,000 to Gwalchmai Flying Start setting
• £6,000 to Llanfawr childcare
• £16,000 to Jesse Hughes childcare
• £6,000 to Llangefni childcare

Blaenau Gwent

• £76,300 across its Flying Start settings
• £30,000 to the Cwm Hub
• £72,000 for outdoor play canopies across 6 settings

Caerphilly

• £50,000 to Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt
• £45,000 to Hengoed Flying Start
• £45,000 to St James’ Integrated Children Centre
• £25,000 to Ty Coch Flying Start
• £50,000 to the Trinant Family Centre
• £20,000 to Philipstown Flying Start
• £15,000 to Parc y Felin Integrated Children Centre

Cardiff

• £1.3m for a new build early years unit in the Splott/Tremorfa Flying Start area
• £40,000 for outside canopies in 5 Flying Start settings
• £12,000 for Rumney Memorial Hall childcare
• £8,000 for Fledglings Childcare

Carmarthenshire

• £50,000 to Argel childcare
• £42,000 to Meithrinfa Plant Dewi
• £42,000 to Bynea Playgroup
• £34,000 to provide pram shelter/parking at 4 settings
• £3,000 for High Fliers Dechrau’n Deg
• £8,000 for Llwynhendy Integrated Children’s Centre
• £7,000 for Felinfoel Integrated Children’s Centre and Cylch Meithrin
• £27,600 for Flying Start Offices – Morfa

Ceredigion

• £58,147 for Cylch Meithrin Llanarth

Conwy

• £286,421 for the North Area Family Centre (Eryl Wen) Llandudno

Gwynedd

• £320,000 for a new build childcare at Blaenau Ffestiniog
• £40,000 for Plas Pawb and Seiont & Pheblig Flying Start settings

Merthyr Tydfil

• £11,500 to TEDS childcare
• £81,750 for outdoor canopies across 5 settings
• £9,000 for Funtazia Integrated Childcare Centre
• £24,000 to Nursery Rhymes Flying Start setting
• £9,000 to Trinity Childcare and Family Centre

Neath Port Talbot

• £12,000 across its Flying Start settings for maintenance
• £24,000 to PALs Childcare, Gnoll.

Newport

• £164,600 across 11 settings for maintenance
• £11,500 to Bettws Flying Start
• £113,500 for outdoor play opportunities across 3 settings
• £10,262 for Pill Flying Start and Always Flying Start

Powys

• £244,398 to Welshpool Integrated Family Centre refurbishment

Rhondda Cynon Taf

• £40,000 to Rhydyfelin Children and Family Centre
• £30,000 to Trealaw Flying Start
• £15,000 to Little Ferns Cwmbach childcare
• £30,000 for outside play equipment for 6 settings
• £10,000 for Little Ferns Glenboi Flying Start

Swansea

• £62,000 for Hafod and St Thomas Flying Start
• £15,000 for Waun Fen Flying Start
• £20,000 for Seaview and Gors Flying Start
• £71,000 across 4 settings for replacement windows
• £183,000 across 3 Flying Start childcare settings to improve security
• £27,000 to Seaview Flying Start

Torfaen

• £650,000 to Penygarn Integrated Children Centre – Extension

Vale of Glamorgan

• £45,000 to the Flying Start Family Centre, Barry
• £40,000 to Ladybirds and Butterflies Flying Start
• £65,000 to the Skomer Road Flying Start Office

Wrexham

• £10,000 for the  Hafod Y Wern office
• £20,500 for the Ti Ni Family Centre
• £252,222 to the Llay Childcare Setting – new modular build
• £12,550 for the Idwal Family Centre
• £25,200 to Summer Hill Childcare
• £24,350 to Hill Tots Childcare
• £15,700 to Cherry Hill Childcare
• £42,000 to Venture Childcare
• £9,255 to Bodhyfryd Flying Start
• £15,664 to Min-Y-Don Flying Start
• £12,500 to Caego Childcare