- 13/10/2015
- Posted by: Mike Hedges MS
- Category: Press Releases
New £10.9m childcare scheme to help get parents into work
Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister, Lesley Griffiths, is launching an ambitious new £10.9 million scheme to help unemployed parents into work or training by helping them with childcare costs.
Tuesday 13 October 2015
The Welsh Labour Government will cover the cost of childcare while parents undertake training to gain the skills they need to get a job.
Backed by Welsh Government and EU funds, the scheme will be delivered across each local authority in Wales and is expected to help 6,400 economically inactive parents, aged over 25, into work or training over the next three years.
Mike Hedges AM said…. I welcome this news for I am aware that there are many people in Swansea East who would like to return to learning a new skill to enhance their chance of getting a job, but for whom, childcare is a major barrier.
Schemes like this which take away such barriers can make a major contribution to improving the lives of unemployed parents. I would urge parents who are looking to return to work to enquire about this scheme.’
Once fully operational, the scheme will employ 43 Parent Employment Advisers. Examples of the support the programme will offer parents include:
• covering the cost of childcare for parents who are attending work experience, education or training
• meeting childcare setting costs for 2–4 weeks before parents start work to help settle children into the childcare setting
• identifying existing childcare provision in the local area – for example, identifying whether families are eligible for the 15 free hours of Flying Start childcare
• supplying a free mobile crèche where appropriate
• offering free childcare taster sessions
• Establishing child minding hubs in areas where there is a need for such provision.
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