You are here: News Inconsistent support for families puts Welsh flagship programmes at risk

New research published today shows that budget cuts in some local authorities in Wales are undermining the delivery of flagship programmes for disadvantaged children such as Flying Start.

A survey by the Family and Childcare Trust revealed that a quarter (25%) of Family Information Services have cut their outreach services across Wales and a third (33%) have increased these services, leaving Wales with inconsistent and patchy support for Flying Start, Families First, Communities First and Integrated Family Support Services.

Under Section 27 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities in Wales are obliged to run a service providing information, advice and assistance about childcare and other activities of benefit to parents, children and young people up to the age of 20.

Anand Shukla, former Chief Executive of Family and Childcare Trust said:

“While there is excellent practice in some local authorities, there is inconsistency across Wales, with some Family Information Services experiencing cuts while others have seen increases. “Many families don’t know about the support or services available to them. They are usually low income families, families without internet access or who move around a lot, such as families in the Armed Forces. This is why Family Information Services’ outreach work is such an essential component to the delivery of the Welsh government’s flagship programmes, with Flying Start alone aiming to reach some 36,000 more disadvantaged under five-year-olds for more tailored support. Without this outreach, many disadvantaged children in Wales stand to lose out.”

Family and Childcare Trust has set out its recommendations in the report which include more formal coordination between Family Information Services and other agencies who work with families, and acknowledgement by the Welsh Government of the pivotal role Family Information Services play in delivering its flagship programmes for vulnerable families.

The report – called The Work of Family Information Services in Wales 2013/14 –was launched at today’s annual conference for the National Association of Family Information Services.

 

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Contact: Mark Bou Mansour, Communications and Campaigns Manager. Telephone 0207 940 7535, mobile 07538 334 772, email: mark@familyandchildcaretrust.org.

Notes to Editor

  • The report ‘The Work of Family Information Services in Wales 2013/2014’ is based on research findings from a survey of local authority Family Information Services in Wales. 20 out of 22 local authorities responded. 
  • Around 76,000 parents and professionals each year benefit from Family Information Services in Wales. They provide a wide range of essential information covering childcare, children’s centres, and leisure activities for children, youth clubs and classes for parents.
  • In Wales, Section 27 of the Childcare Act 2006 obliges local authorities to run a service providing information, advice and assistance about childcare and other activities of benefit to parents, children and young people up to the age of 20. Additional regulations attached to Section 27 of the Childcare Act – The Childcare Act 2006 (Provision of Information) (Wales) Regulations 2008, a statutory instrument providing a detailed outlining local authorities are required to provide to families including: contact details and registration information, the cost of childcare, the times it is provided and its suitability for disabled children. The regulations also oblige local authorities to provide information about other services for families, children and young people.
  • 40 per cent of parents found the most common source of information about childcare was through word of mouth, such as from friends or relatives. (The Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents 2012-13) In the same report, 39 per cent of parents said they did not have enough information about childcare in their local area. 
  • The survey was conducted to give a comprehensive picture of the scale and nature of enquiries, staffing, outreach practices and the impact of spending cuts. 

About the Family and Childcare Trust

The Family and Childcare Trust aims to make the UK a better place for families. We are a leading national family charity in the field of policy, research and advocacy on childcare and family issues, with over 40 years’ experience. Our on-the-ground work with parents and providers informs our research and campaigns. We focus on the early years and childcare because they are crucial to boosting children’s outcomes throughout life and supporting parents to work.