Flying Start brand to be ditched for childcare for two-year-olds in Wales

The Welsh government has asked councils to rebrand the childcare they provide for two-year-olds, dropping the name Flying Start.

In the guidance, ministers told local authorities to start using the term "Welsh government-funded childcare".

However, Flying Start's other services - such as its health visiting provision - will remain with the same name, according to the guidance.

The scheme was a flagship policy under the previous Labour-run administration. Labour has said cutting it would be a red line in budget negotiations.

The Welsh government said it was supporting "clear, consistent" communication.

The guidance, first reported by the Senedd Sources podcast, follows a political row after a Welsh government minister failed to rule out cutting or changing Flying Start.

The Welsh government needs the help of at least one opposition party to get its budget through next March, and is in talks with multiple parties.

Flying Start began in 2007 as an early-years programme aimed at disadvantaged parts of Wales, to help with language, social and physical development.

Childcare for two-year-olds is already provided under the Flying Start umbrella, and the scheme is now being used by the Welsh government to expand childcare to all two-year-olds for 12.5 hours a week.

By the end of this Senedd term in 2030, the Welsh government hopes to be providing universal childcare from nine months to four years for 20 hours a week.

This would be in addition to existing provision for parents in work or education for 30 hours a week for three to four-year-olds.

The guidance says the government is developing a new brand for all Welsh government-funded childcare to provide a "recognisable" experience.

It said: "To help prepare for this transition and ensure parents and carers across Wales receive clear and consistent information, we need you to start using the term 'Welsh government-funded childcare' instead of 'Flying Start childcare' when specifically referring to the expansion of 12.5 hours of Welsh government-funded childcare to all two-year-olds."

"This guidance does not represent a change to the Flying Start core programme," it adds.

"While the expansion of funded childcare to two-year-olds is being delivered through Flying Start, our research suggests that parents are more likely to understand and search for information using the term 'funded childcare' or 'government-funded childcare' than programme-specific terminology."

The guidance said Flying Start can continue to be used when referring to the wider Flying Start programme.

BBC Wales has been told that Welsh Labour wants clarity and reassurance that the non-childcare elements of Flying Start will continue and has questions over how Plaid Cymru's childcare offer will be paid for.

The Welsh government said: "Our new flagship childcare offer is the most generous anywhere in the UK, and will build on and go further than the current model delivered through Flying Start.

"Guidance was issued to local authorities in August to support the delivery of clear, consistent communications about the phased rollout of childcare to all two-year-olds across Wales.

"Our expanded offer means that childcare will be more accessible and affordable for all families.

"We know what a difference it will make to families, to gender equality, to children's outcomes and to the Welsh economy."

It added the guidance to councils recommends the use of the term "Welsh government-funded childcare", and does not represent a change to the Flying Start core programme.