'Childcare needs to be a priority', says leading charity
Recent research shows childcare in Wales often costs more than double than England
Following a childcare survey by Coram- parents in Wales saw increases of nearly 10% in the cost of part-time nursery childcare for under-twos since last year, and just over 7% for two-year olds.
The average full-time place in a nursery for a three- and four-year-old in Wales costs £119.23 a week, a 5.6% increase on 2024.
67% of local authorities have sufficient places for at least three quarters of children entitled to Flying Start, and 61% said the same for the working parent entitlement for three- to four-year-olds.
£20m was announced in the Welsh Government's draft budget and £30m in the final budget for the expansion of the Flying Start childcare scheme to two-year-olds and to increase the hourly rate for the childcare offer to childcare providers.
Sarah Rees, the Head of Oxfam Cymru says:
"We're not surprised by the statistics because we know what parents in Wales are facing ever increasing childcare costs.
"What they're really looking to see from Welsh Government is for childcare to become a priority and for them to take fast action.
Sarah continues saying families are being locked out of their workplace as they can't afford childcare.
"Childcare is a key lever of tackling poverty.
"If you are a parent who's having to face the choice between having to pay a childcare bill which is more than you can earn in a day then the common sense decision is that you have to leave your job."
The Welsh Government says:
“Our focus is on our most disadvantaged communities, in the first instance, ensuring that support reaches families in greatest need at the earliest opportunity.
“We invest more than £100m a year to sustain and grow high quality childcare in Wales. We are providing an additional £50m in 2025-26 for the further expansion of our Flying Start childcare scheme to two-year-olds, which will support more families, and to increase the hourly rate for the childcare offer to further support childcare providers.”