Childcare Offer for Wales / Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru

What is the Childcare Offer for Wales?

The Childcare Offer for Wales provides government funding for up to 30 hours early education and childcare for working parents in Wales, for up to 48 weeks of the year.

During school term time, the 30 hours is split into two parts: a minimum of 10 hours of early education provision, and a maximum of 20 hours of childcare from a provider registered with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). As well as 39 weeks of term-time funding, the Offer is also available for up to nine weeks of school holidays each year, with parents able to claim three weeks for every school term they access the Offer.

Each parent/carer, or the sole parent/carer in a single parent family of a 3 and 4-year old, must earn at least the National Minimum Wage or living Wage for 16 hours a week on average, but no more than £100,000 per year, to qualify. Parents/carers can also split their funded hours allowance across more than one provider.

There is further information for parents/carers about the Childcare Offer and eligibility on the Welsh Government website at Childcare for 3 and 4 year olds. Further information to support with promotion of the Childcare Offer for families is also available at Childcare Offer for Wales.

Delivering the Childcare Offer for Wales

In order to be eligible to deliver the Childcare Offer for Wales you must be registered as a childcare provider with a regulator, in Wales this would be with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). To find out about how to apply to deliver the Childcare Offer contact your local Family Information Services.

If you deliver the Childcare Offer, you will be paid directly by your local authority, the current rate for the offer in Wales is £5.00 per hour for childcare. Childcare providers cannot charge parents an additional hourly amount to top-up the rate under the offer, however childcare providers are able to charge parents/carers for additional elements such as food, drink, transport and off-site activities that incur a cost. There is further information available from Welsh Government at Childcare for 3 and 4 year olds: guidance for providers.

The Welsh Government announced an extra £6 million per year to increase the hourly rate for childcare providers from £4.50 to £5 per hour from April 2022. The 11% increase aims to help provide greater sustainability across the childcare sector in Wales. In addition to an increase in the hourly rate paid for childcare, the maximum amount settings can charge for food also increased from £7.50 to £9 a day, reflecting the increase in both food prices and utility and energy prices. Ministers have also committed to reviewing the rate at least every three years. There is further information available at Childcare Offer for Wales rate review.

Delivering the Childcare Offer can help to raise the profile of your service, as well as supporting families with the cost of childcare. Listen to childminders in Wales talking about the benefits of delivering the Childcare Offer for Wales:

Childcare Offer for Wales: National Digital Service

The national digital Childcare Offer for Wales service launched on the 7 November 2022. Any parent wishing to receive Offer-funded childcare from January will need to apply through the new national digital service. Any childcare setting wishing to provide Offer-funded hours will need to register with the new service. Local Childcare Offer legacy systems will wind down over the coming months, meaning the national digital service will become the only Childcare Offer system that settings will need to work with from the 2023 autumn term.

The new system takes a national approach, is fully bilingual and makes applying for the Offer quicker and easier for eligible parents. It is easy to use and can be accessed ‘on the go’. This will mean that all childcare providers across Wales will use a single national service to claim payments for Childcare Offer hours delivered in any area of Wales. The process by which childcare providers claim for Offer hours through that service will be intuitive and easy to use, with payments being made within days.

Key benefits for childcare providers include:

One simple, national service used by all local authorities in Wales – if you provide childcare services to parents from multiple local authorities, you will be able to use just one service going forward. Please note that Local Authorities’ systems will remain in place until the parents receiving the Childcare Offer through those systems are no longer eligible.
Access ‘on the go’ via laptops, tablets and mobile phones – meaning a more flexible service to suit your needs.
A fully bilingual service – ensuring providers can access the service in their preferred language.
Security of data – the digital service has been developed to the highest standard of data security.
Fast and regular payments directly from Welsh Government – weekly or monthly, depending on your preference.

Register now

All childcare providers in Wales who would like to deliver Childcare Offer hours for children starting at their setting from January 2023 must register on the national digital service. Providers will have received a registration link from their local authority childcare team. Without registering with the national digital Childcare Offer service, providers will not be able to claim payments for Childcare Offer hours.

There is further information at Providers get help with the Childcare Offer for Wales. If you need more help, please contact the Childcare Offer for Wales helpline.

Providers can access the payment portal here.

Training available

Welsh Government have worked with Digital Communities Wales (a Welsh Government funded project) to offer some general digital skills training specifically for childcare providers. These sessions are available as pre-recorded videos and as live training sessions using Zoom.

Welsh Government have launched a short series of Live Events to deliver training on the new service. The first of these was on how to register a setting and join an existing setting, the second series of live events explained how to confirm agreements with parents. The third series will cover how to claim payments in December 2022. Recordings, dates and booking information is available at training and live events on the Childcare Offer for Wales national digital service for providers.

Resource Childcare-Offer-for-Wales-Start-of-new-school-year-graphic-1200-x-630px

Further support

We hope this resource and the links provided have been informative. If you would like to discuss any aspect of this topic, or would like additional support or guidance, then please get in touch with PACEY Cymru on 02920 351407 or email paceycymru@pacey.org.uk.

Resources

Welsh Government resources include:

Childcare for 3 and 4 year olds (for parents)
Childcare Offer for Wales (campaign)
Childcare for 3 and 4 year olds (guidance for providers)
Introduction to the Childcare Offer for Wales national digital service (for providers)
Activate your childcare setting to get the childcare offer (for providers)
Providers get help with the Childcare Offer for Wales
Training and live events on the Childcare Offer for Wales national digital service for providers

Resource Childcare-Offer-for-Wales-New-Year-web-banner-2500-x-250px

Beth yw Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru?

Mae Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru yn rhoi arian gan y llywodraeth ar gyfer hyd at 30 awr o addysg gynnar a gofal plant i rieni sy’n gweithio yng Nghymru, am hyd at 48 wythnos o’r flwyddyn.

Yn ystod tymor yr ysgol, mae’r 30 awr yn cael ei rhannu’n ddwy ran: lleiafswm o 10 awr o ddarpariaeth addysg gynnar, ac uchafswm o 20 awr o ofal plant gan ddarparwr sydd wedi’i gofrestru gydag Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGC). Yn ogystal â 39 wythnos o gyllid yn ystod y tymor, mae’r Cynnig hefyd ar gael ar gyfer hyd at naw wythnos o wyliau’r ysgol bob blwyddyn, a gall rhieni hawlio tair wythnos am bob tymor ysgol maen nhw’n manteisio ar y Cynnig.

Er mwyn cymhwyso, rhaid i bob rhiant/gofalwr (neu unig riant/gofalwr mewn teulu un rhiant) gyda phlant 3 a 4 oed fod yn ennill o leiaf yr Isafswm Cyflog Cenedlaethol neu Gyflog Byw am 16 awr yr wythnos ar gyfartaleddyr, ond dim mwy na £100,000 y flwyddyn. Gall rhieni/gofalwyr hefyd rannu eu lwfans oriau a ariennir ar draws mwy nac un darparwr.

Mae rhagor o wybodaeth i rieni/gofalwyr am y Cynnig Gofal Plant a chymhwyster ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru yn Gofal plant i blant 3 a 4 oed. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth i gefnogi gyda hyrwyddo’r Cynnig Gofal Plant i deuluoedd hefyd ar gael yn Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru.

Cyflwyno Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru

Er mwyn bod yn gymwys i gyflawni Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru mae’n rhaid i chi fod wedi’ch cofrestru fel darparwr gofal plant gyda rheolydd, yng Nghymru byddai hyn gydag Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGC). I ddysgu sut i wneud cais i gyflawni’r Cynnig Gofal Plant, cysylltwch â’ch Gwasanaethau Gwybodaeth i Deuluoedd lleol.

Os ydych chi’n cyflenwi’r Cynnig Gofal Plant, byddwch chi’n cael eich talu’n uniongyrchol gan eich awdurdod lleol, y gyfradd gyfredol sy’n cael ei chynnig yng Nghymru yw £5.00 yr awr ar gyfer gofal plant. Ni all darparwyr gofal plant godi swm ychwanegol yr awr ar rieni i ychwanegu at y gyfradd o dan y cynnig. Serch hynny mae darparwyr gofal plant yn gallu codi tâl ar rieni/gofalwyr am elfennau ychwanegol megis bwyd, diod, trafnidiaeth a gweithgareddau oddi ar y safle sy’n golygu cost ychwanegol. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn Gofal plant i blant 3 a 4 oed: canllawiau i ddarparwyr.

Cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth Cymru £6 miliwn ychwanegol y flwyddyn i gynyddu’r gyfradd fesul awr ar gyfer darparwyr gofal plant, gan ei chodi o’r £4.50 yr awr bresennol i £5 yr awr o fis Ebrill 2022. Nod y cynnydd o 11% yw helpu ddarparu mwy o gynaliadwyedd ar draws y sector gofal plant yng Nghymru. Yn ogystal â chynnydd yn y gyfradd fesul awr a delir am ofal plant, mae’r uchafswm y gall lleoliadau godi am fwyd hefyd wedi cynyddu o £7.50 i £9 y diwrnod, sy’n adlewyrchu’r cynnydd ym mhrisiau bwyd a phrisiau cyfleustodau ac ynni. Mae Gweinidogion hefyd wedi ymrwymo i adolygu’r gyfradd o leiaf bob tair blynedd. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael yn adolygiad o gyfraddau Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru.

Gall cyflwyno’r Cynnig Gofal Plant helpu i godi proffil eich gwasanaeth, yn ogystal â chefnogi teuluoedd gyda chost gofal plant.

Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru: Gwasanaeth Cenedlaethol Digidol

Lansiwyd gwasanaeth Cynnig Gofal Plant Digidol Cymru ar 7 Tachwedd. Bydd angen i unrhyw riant sydd eisiau cael gofal plant wedi’i ariannu gan y Cynnig o fis Ionawr wneud cais drwy’r gwasanaeth digidol cenedlaethol newydd. Bydd angen i unrhyw leoliad gofal plant sy’n dymuno darparu oriau sy’n cael eu hariannu gan y Cynnig gofrestru gyda’r gwasanaeth newydd. Bydd systemau etifeddiaeth Cynnig Gofal Plant lleol yn dirwyn i ben dros y misoedd nesaf, gan olygu mai’r gwasanaeth digidol cenedlaethol fydd yr unig system Cynnig Gofal Plant y bydd angen i leoliadau weithio gyda nhw o dymor yr hydref 2023.

Mae’r system newydd yn defnyddio dull cenedlaethol, mae’n gwbl ddwyieithog ac mae’n galluogi rhieni sy’n gymwys i wneud cais am y Cynnig mewn ffordd gyflymach a symlach. Mae’n hawdd ei ddefnyddio a gellir cael ato ‘wrth fynd’. Mae hyn yn golygu y bydd pob darparwr gofal plant ledled Cymru yn defnyddio un gwasanaeth cenedlaethol i hawlio taliadau am oriau a ddarperir o dan y Cynnig Gofal Plant mewn unrhyw ardal yng Nghymru. Bydd yn cynnig proses hawdd ei defnyddio i ddarparwyr gofal plant hawlio oriau o dan y Cynnig, gan sicrhau bod taliadau yn eu cyrraedd o fewn ychydig ddiwrnodau.

Mae’r buddion allweddol i ddarparwyr gofal plant yn cynnwys:

Un gwasanaeth cenedlaethol, syml a ddefnyddir gan bob awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru – os ydych yn darparu gwasanaethau gofal plant i rieni o sawl awdurdod lleol, byddwch yn gallu defnyddio un gwasanaeth yn unig wrth symud ymlaen. Sylwch y bydd systemau awdurdodau lleol yn parhau i fod ar waith hyd nes yr adeg pan na fydd y rhieni sy’n derbyn y Cynnig Gofal Plant trwy’r systemau hynny yn gymwys mwyach.
Mynediad ‘wrth fynd’ trwy liniaduron, dyfeisiau llechen a ffonau symudol – sy’n golygu gwasanaeth mwy hyblyg i weddu i’ch anghenion.
Gwasanaeth cwbl ddwyieithog – a fydd yn sicrhau bod darparwyr yn gallu defnyddio’r gwasanaeth yn yr iaith o’u dewis.
Diogelwch data – mae’r gwasanaeth digidol wedi cael ei ddatblygu yn unol â’r safon diogelwch data uchaf.
Taliadau cyflym a rheolaidd yn uniongyrchol gan Lywodraeth Cymru – yn wythnosol neu’n fisol, yn dibynnu ar eich blaenoriaeth.

Cofrestru nawr

Mae’n rhaid i bob darparwr gofal plant yng Nghymru a hoffai ddarparu oriau’r Cynnig Gofal Plant i blant sy’n dechrau yn eu lleoliad ym mis Ionawr 2023 gofrestru ar y gwasanaeth digidol cenedlaethol. Bydd darparwyr wedi cael dolen gofrestru gan dîm gofal plant eu hawdurdod lleol. Heb gofrestru gyda gwasanaeth digidol cenedlaethol y Cynnig Gofal Plant, ni fydd darparwyr yn gallu hawlio taliadau ar gyfer oriau’r Cynnig Gofal Plant.

Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael yn: Cymorth i ddarparwyr gyda Chynnig Gofal Plant Cymru. Os bydd arnoch angen rhagor o gymorth, cysylltwch â llinell gymorth Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru.

Gall darparwyr fynd at y porth talu yma.

Hyfforddiant ar gael

Roedd Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gweithio gyda Chymunedau Digidol Cymru (prosiect a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru) i gynnig rhywfaint o hyfforddiant ar sgiliau digidol cyffredinol yn benodol ar gyfer darparwyr gofal plant. Mae’r sesiynau hynny ar gael ar ffurf fideos wedi’u recordio ymlaen llaw ac ar ffurf sesiynau hyfforddi byw gan ddefnyddio Zoom.

Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi lansio cyfres fer o Ddigwyddiadau Byw er mwyn darparu hyfforddiant ar y gwasanaeth newydd. Roedd y cyntaf o’r sesiynau hyfforddi hyn ar sut i gofrestru ar gyfer y gwasanaeth newydd, esboniodd yr ail gyfres o ddigwyddiadau byw sut i gadarnhau Cytundebau gyda rhieni. Bydd y drydedd gyfres o ddigwyddiadau byw yn edrych ar sut i hawlio taliadau ym mis Rhagfyr.

Mae recordiad o’r sesiynau, dyddiadau, a gwybodaeth archebu ar gael ar hyfforddiant a digwyddiadau byw ar wasanaeth digidol cenedlaethol Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru i ddarparwyr.

Gwybodaeth bellach

Gobeithiwn y bydd yr adnodd hwn a’r cysylltiadau a ddarparwyd wedi bod yn ddefnyddiol. Os hoffech drafod unrhyw agwedd ar y pwnc hwn, neu os hoffech gael cymorth neu arweiniad pellach, cysylltwch â PACEY Cymru drwy ffonio 02920 351407 neu e-bostiwch paceycymru@pacey.org.uk.