Flying Start
Flying Start is a Welsh Government funded programme targeted at children aged
0-3 years and their families, living in identified postcodes in the Bridgend area.
The programme aims to improve outcomes for children and give them a 'Flying Start' in readiness for when they commence school.
The full programme includes:
- high quality, part-time childcare for 2–3-year-olds
- intensive health visiting service
- access to parenting support
- early language development
Childcare Provision
All children living in a Flying Start Area are entitled to a funded childcare place from the term following their second birthday up until the end of the term that they turn three and are eligible for school.
These children are entitled to a 2.5-hour session per day, 5 days a week, term time only.
Regular part-time attendance at high quality childcare has shown to significantly improve outcomes for children. If you live in a Flying Start area, we encourage you to take up your childcare place.
Intensive Health Visiting
The Flying Start Health team will be able to offer you and your baby extra support throughout pregnancy and the early years. This may be through your Flying Start Midwife, Health Visitor or Early Years Advisor.
Flying Start health visitors work more closely with Flying Start families to promote health, wellbeing and to provide advice and support.
If you live in a Flying Start area, the health visiting team will be able to offer help and support on a range of topics such as:
- Caring for your new baby
- Breastfeeding advice
- Weaning and healthy eating for you and your baby
- Sleep routines
- Potty training
- Behaviour
- Home safety to make sure that your home is baby and toddler friendly
- Baby groups such as Baby Massage and Hello Baby
- Immunisations and health screening
Breastfeeding advice | Every Child Wales website | Lullaby Trust
Parenting Support
Being a parent can bring so much enjoyment, but it can also be very challenging.
The Flying Start programme benefits from a team of Parenting and Family Support Workers.
They work specifically in Flying Start areas and provide direct support and advice to children and their families.
They deliver evidence-based parenting programmes within group settings and on a 1:1 basis. The team can help with positive parenting skills, building relationships and resilience, family well-being and supporting child development.
Welsh Government - Give it time
Early Language Development
Speech, language and communication will help your child to get the best start in life. The Speech and Language team will work with the wider Flying Start team to support you and your child. We can offer you and your family:
- support for your child within their childcare settings through intervention programmes
- help for you and your family in supporting your child at home with communication
- referring and supporting children with long term speech, language and communication needs to other intervention services.
There is also a Flying Start Language and Play team who provide interactive sessions for families. Parents/carers and young children are invited along to the stay and play sessions. These sessions provide opportunities for playing in a safe and friendly environment.
The sessions are delivered by qualified and experienced staff in and around Flying Start settings across Bridgend. Our staff work in partnership with parents to encourage and support early speech, language and communication through fun, age-appropriate activities.
Talk with me | I CANs Ages and Stages | NHS Play and Learning | Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board | Tiny Happy People
Flying Start Childcare only Programme Expansion
In November 2021, Welsh Government announced that funded childcare provision would be made available for all two-year-olds in Wales, in a phased approach. In March 2022, Welsh Government advised that this funded childcare provision would be delivered through the Flying Start programme.
The programme has successfully expanded into identified areas as part of phase one and two of the expansion programme.
To be eligible for funding, your child must be living in a Flying Start postcode. This should be the child’s main home address, the address to which their Child Benefit is paid and is the address registered with the child’s Health Visitor.
Please note, the entitlement in the Flying Start expansion areas is for the childcare provision only.