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Number and percentage of children eligible, offered and taking up Flying Start childcare, by local authority

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Next update expected:October 2026

Updates

8th October 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Official statistics
Data provider
Welsh Government
Data source
Flying Start data monitoring returns
Time period covered
April 2012 to March 2025

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Flying Start is the Welsh Government early years programme delivered by local authorities in Wales. It is aimed at improving outcomes for families with children under 4 years of age in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Wales.

Expansion of all four elements of Flying Start began in September 2022, it included: funded part-time, high-quality childcare for 2 year olds; parenting support; enhanced health visitor support; and support for speech, language and communication.

The core Flying Start childcare offer is that quality childcare is offered to parents of all eligible 2 to 3 year olds for 2.5 hours a day, 5 days a week for 39 weeks of the year. In addition, there should be at least 15 sessions of provision for the family during the school holidays. Families can choose to accept either the full offer or a reduced offer if only some of the sessions are needed.

Data collection or calculation

The main source of data used in this statistical release is management information collected via the Welsh Government Flying Start Data Monitoring Return directly from local authorities. This data collection started in April 2012 to March 2013. Additional data were requested from local authorities following expansion of the childcare element of Flying Start to monitor progress.

Further information on data sources and changes to Flying Start service provision because of the pandemic are detailed in the quality report

Statistical quality

Data from 2020-21 and 2021-22 was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Local authorities have provided additional feedback on how services were affected in 2021-22, and these included:

  • some parenting and speech, language and communication (SLC) programmes were either not run or not able to be completed
  • some childcare sessions had low attendance due to continued parental concern over COVID-19
  • some parents chose not to take-up childcare which they may have accepted prior to the pandemic
  • some Flying Start staff would have been self-isolating, shielding or unwell which affected the service offered
  • some contacts recorded as face-to-face contacts may have taken place over the phone or virtually.

These factors need to be considered when using data for 2021-22. Services in 2022-23 were also affected by the pandemic. Whilst the enforced restrictions and adaptions to service delivery seen in 2021-22 were not seen in 2022-23, there may still have been some disruption caused by localised outbreaks of the virus.

‘Take up’ refers to whether the offer of childcare is accepted regardless of whether the child subsequently attends childcare, though some local authorities have provided attendance-based acceptance figures in 2024-25.

In Swansea in 2024-25, the number of children taking up full or reduced offers of childcare was greater than the total number of children offered childcare, resulting in percentage greater than 100% which has been adjusted to 100%. This is because only childcare offers to newly eligible 2 year olds in the period are counted, whereas the number of children taking up childcare could include children who turned 2 before the previous reporting period.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.healthinfo@gov.wales