A statement shared by the Minister for Mental Health and Early Years, Jayne Bryant (MS) was published during Childminding Week.
This gave the Welsh Government an opportunity to provide an update about the work they are undertaking, alongside partners, including PACEY Cymru, to respond to the recommendations for the Independent Review of Childminding.
These updates have been shared with PACEY in the form of a work plan. Much of the activity highlighted within this is already underway however PACEY Cymru will be taking time to analyse these in more detail and link the actions within this to work planned over coming months.
What is proposed within the work plan shared by Welsh Government?
Activity within the workplan includes:
- Communication activity to help promote childminding as a career option, including social media and Childminding week activity.
- Review of the current childminding CIW application process to support improvements and streamlining.
- Local authority support for childminder pre-registration training funded by Welsh Government for 24-25 through the Children and Communities Grant.
- Development of a ‘one stop shop’ online to act as a central point for those interested in becoming a childminder.
- Review by local authorities of local childcare setting directories to assist in promotion of childminding.
- Review by Welsh Government of processes childminders have to follow in order to access the Childcare Offer for Wales funding to help simplify administrative processes and burden.
- Development of information sessions for childminders on funding available including small grant schemes.
- Promote IT and digital literacy courses and resource access to childminders
- CIW to share updates and further guidance on developments in relation to inspections and the newly implemented improvement meetings
- CIW to establish a Childminding Champions group from their staff team to support inspectors in understanding the vies and challenges unique to childminder inspections and to aid consistency.
- Production of further case studies highlighting the role that childminders have to play to be produced
- Welsh Government will undertake a review of the National Minimum Standards including looking at the application of adult to child ratios in childminding settings.
- The Planning and Childcare in Wales Policy Clarification letter from 2016 will be updated and re-issued to support consistency of approach in relation to childminders and local planning.
- Recruitment of Childminder Ambassadors for the sector to provide an insight into their experience of childminding
- Flying Start working group findings to be considered and further action identified in relation to delivery of Flying Start by childminders
- Foundation Learning guidance for local authorities to be updated and potential barriers preventing childminders delivering nursery education to be addressed as part of this work.
- Local authorities to identify demand and preferences in relation to training delivered to childminders to ensure these are convenient for them
- Local authorities will be encouraged to facilitate cluster or network meetings for childminders and share good practice with others.
- Welsh Government to develop a bank of questions to be used by stakeholders to gather consistent evidence about childminders leaving the sector.
What happens next?
PACEY Cymru are heavily involved, alongside Welsh Government and other key partners within the sector in monitoring and reviewing the impact of actions and activities through an overview panel and associated working groups, formed last year. These groups meet regularly and we will keep members updated as this work progresses further through our Childminder Forum.
What are PACEY Cymru’s views?
Our calls to Government are reflected within the recently published PACEY Manifesto that was shared at our recent event at the Senedd.
While work to date is welcomed PACEY Cymru believe we need to look at stronger activity to ensure this has a significant impact on the decline. Additional funding and significant investment is needed to ensure impact in many areas. There have been previous attempts to address issues faced by childminders but none to date have addressed the rapid decline. We must urgently act to retain the skilled and experience childminders that we already have, and then put in place a joined up, long term vision and strategy for childminding. PACEY Cymru have shared these concerns with the Minister and Welsh Government colleagues.
As well as praised the successful event at the Senedd for Childminding Week the Minister responded to say:
“I want to take this opportunity to thank you and your team members for all your work as part of the Childminding Recommendations Review Group in responding to the recommendations of the Independent Review of Childminding. I note the concerns you have raised in your email and your call for significant and additional funding to reverse the decline in the number of childminders. I want to reassure you that I will be closely monitoring the actions which will be taken forward to progress the recommendations from the Childminding Review to see how they are making a difference. Work is progressing on a number of fronts and includes areas you outlined in your email, such as pre-registration support for childminders, access to mandatory training and clarity on planning issues. The workplan for the Group is a living document and can be amended and updated as work progresses. Please know that I will, where possible, consider further actions should funding become available.”
If you have any queries please email paceycymru@pacey.org.uk.
Cyhoeddwyd datganiad a rannwyd gan Y Gweinidog Iechyd Meddwl a’r Blynyddoedd Cynnar, Jane Bryant (AS), yn ystod Wythnos Gwarchod Plant.
Rhoddodd hyn gyfle i Lywodraeth Cymru ddarparu diweddariad am y gwaith y maent yn ei wneud, ochr yn ochr â phartneriaid gan gynnwys PACEY Cymru, i ymateb i’r argymhellion i’r Adolygiad Annibynnol o Warchod Plant.
Mae’r diweddariadau hyn wedi’u rhannu â PACEY ar ffurf cynllun gwaith. Mae llawer o’r gweithgarwch a amlygwyd eisoes yn mynd rhagddo, fodd bynnag bydd PACEY Cymru yn cymryd amser i ddadansoddi’r rhain yn fanylach a chysylltu’r camau gweithredu o fewn hyn â’r gwaith a gynllunnir dros y misoedd nesaf.
Beth sy’n cael ei gynnig yn y cynllun gwaith a rennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru?
Mae gweithgarwch o fewn y cynllun gwaith yn cynnwys:
- Gweithgarwch cyfathrebu i helpu i hyrwyddo gwarchod plant fel dewis gyrfa, gan gynnwys gweithgarwch ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol ac yn ystod Wythnos Gwarchod Plant.
- Adolygu proses ymgeisio bresennol AGC ar gyfer gwarchod plant i gefnogi gwelliannau a symleiddio.
- Cymorth awdurdodau lleol ar gyfer hyfforddiant cyn-gofrestru gwarchodwyr plant a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 24-25 drwy’r Grant Plant a Chymunedau.
- Datblygu ‘siop un stop’ ar-lein i fod yn bwynt canolog i’r rhai sydd â diddordeb mewn bod yn warchodwr plant.
- Adolygiad gan awdurdodau lleol o gyfeiriaduron lleoliadau gofal plant lleol i gynorthwyo gyda hyrwyddo gwarchod plant.
- Adolygiad gan Lywodraeth Cymru o’r prosesau y mae’n rhaid i warchodwyr plant eu dilyn er mwyn cael mynediad at gyllid Cynnig Gofal Plant Cymru i helpu i symleiddio’r prosesau a’r baich gweinyddol.
- Datblygu sesiynau gwybodaeth i warchodwyr plant ar y cyllid sydd ar gael gan gynnwys cynlluniau grantiau bach.
- Hyrwyddo cyrsiau TG a llythrennedd digidol a mynediad at adnoddau i warchodwyr plant
- AGC i rannu diweddariadau ac arweiniad pellach ar ddatblygiadau o ran arolygon a’r cyfarfodydd gwella sydd newydd ei roi ar waith
- ACG i sefydlu grŵp Hyrwyddwyr Gwarchod Plant o’u tîm staff i gefnogi arolygwyr i ddeall y gwrthdaro a’r heriau sy’n unigryw i arolygiadau gwarchodwyr plant ac i wella cysondeb.
- Cynhyrchu astudiaethau achos pellach yn amlygu rôl gwarchodwyr plant
- Bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgymryd ag adolygiad o’r Safonau Gofynnol Cenedlaethol, gan gynnwys archwilio cymhwyso cymarebau oedolion i blant mewn lleoliadau gwarchod plant.
- Bydd y llythyr Egluro Polisi Cynllunio a Gofal Plant yng Nghymru o 2016 yn cael ei ddiweddaru a’i ailgyhoeddi i gefnogi dull gweithredu cyson mewn perthynas â gwarchodwyr plant a chynllunio lleol.
- Recriwtio Llysgenhadon Gwarchodwyr Plant ar gyfer y sector i roi cipolwg ar eu profiad o warchod plant
- Ystyried canfyddiadau gweithgor Dechrau’n Deg a nodi camau gweithredu pellach mewn perthynas â darparu Dechrau’n Deg gan warchodwyr plant
- Diweddaru canllawiau Dysgu Sylfaen i awdurdodau lleol ac ymdrin â rhwystrau posibl sy’n atal gwarchodwyr plant rhag darparu addysg feithrin fel rhan o’r gwaith hwn.
- Awdurdodau lleol i nodi’r galw a’r hoffterau o ran yr hyfforddiant a ddarperir i warchodwyr plant er mwyn sicrhau bod y rhain yn gyfleus iddynt
- Bydd awdurdodau lleol yn cael eu hannog i hwyluso cyfarfodydd clwstwr neu rwydwaith ar gyfer gwarchodwyr plant a rhannu arfer da ag eraill.
- Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu cronfa o gwestiynau i’w defnyddio gan randdeiliaid i gasglu tystiolaeth gyson am warchodwyr plant yn gadael y sector.
Beth sy’n digwydd nesaf?
Mae PACEY Cymru, ochr yn ochr â Llywodraeth Cymru a phartneriaid allweddol eraill yn y sector, yn ymwneud yn helaeth â monitro ac adolygu effaith camau gweithredu a gweithgareddau drwy banel trosolwg a gweithgorau cysylltiedig, a ffurfiwyd y llynedd. Mae’r grwpiau hyn yn cyfarfod yn rheolaidd a byddant yn rhoi diweddariadau i aelodau wrth i’r gwaith fynd rhagddo drwy ein Fforwm Gwarchodwyr Plant.
Beth yw barn PACEY Cymru?
Adlewyrchir ein galwadau i’r Llywodraeth ym Maniffesto PACEY a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar a rannwyd yn ein digwyddiad diweddar yn y Senedd.
Er y croesewir y gwaith hyd yma, mae PACEY Cymru yn credu bod angen i ni edrych ar weithgarwch cryfach i sicrhau bod hyn yn cael effaith sylweddol ar y dirywiad. Mae angen cyllid ychwanegol a buddsoddiad sylweddol i sicrhau effaith mewn llawer o feysydd. Bu ymdrechion blaenorol i fynd i’r afael â’r problemau a wynebir gan warchodwyr plant ond nid oes yr un ohonynt hyd yma wedi mynd i’r afael â’r dirywiad cyflym. Rhaid i ni weithredu ar frys i gadw’r gwarchodwyr plant medrus a phrofiadol sydd gennym eisoes, ac yna rhoi gweledigaeth a strategaeth gydgysylltiedig, hirdymor ar gyfer gwarchod plant ar waith. Mae PACEY Cymru wedi rhannu’r pryderon hyn â’r Gweinidog a chydweithwyr Llywodraeth Cymru.
Canmolodd y Gweinidog y digwyddiad Wythnos Gwarchod Plant llwyddiannus yn y Senedd a dywedodd
“Hoffwn achub ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i chi ac aelodau eich tîm am eich holl waith fel rhan o’r Grŵp Adolygu Argymhellion Gwarchod Plant wrth ymateb i argymhellion yr Adolygiad Annibynnol o Warchod Plant. Nodaf y pryderon yr ydych wedi’u codi yn eich e-bost a’ch galwad am gyllid sylweddol ac ychwanegol i wrthdroi’r gostyngiad yn nifer y gwarchodwyr plant. Rwyf am eich sicrhau y byddaf yn monitro’n agos y camau a gymerir i symud yr argymhellion o’r Adolygiad Gwarchod Plant yn eu blaen i weld sut y maent yn gwneud gwahaniaeth. Mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo mewn nifer o feysydd ac mae’n cynnwys meysydd a amlinellwyd gennych yn eich e-bost, megis cymorth cyn-gofrestru i warchodwyr plant, mynediad at hyfforddiant gorfodol ac eglurder ar faterion cynllunio. Mae cynllun gwaith y Grŵp yn ddogfen fyw a gellir ei diwygio a’i diweddaru wrth i’r gwaith fynd rhagddo. Byddwch yn ymwybodol y byddaf, lle bo modd, yn ystyried camau gweithredu pellach os bydd cyllid yn dod ar gael.”
Os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiynau, e-bostiwch paceycymru@pacey.org.uk.
