Childcare - a follow up inquiry

Inquiry5

Background

The Equality and Social Justice Committee undertook follow up work on its inquiry into childcare and parental employment which was concluded in January 2022.

The Committee revisited this area to see what progress has been made and what work there is still to do, to improve childcare provision in Wales.

Terms of reference

The terms of reference for the inquiry were to examine:

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>>>What progress has been made in implementing the recommendations in the Committee’s report from early 2022 - Minding the future – the childcare barrier facing working parents.

>>>The extent to which childcare provision in Wales provides high-quality provision which supports child development, tackles child poverty and supports parental employment. What changes might be needed to deliver these outcomes.

>>>What progress is being made towards achieving the Co-Operation Agreement commitment to expand 12.5 hours free childcare per week to all two-year-olds, with an emphasis on strengthening Welsh-medium provision.

>>>To what extent there is sufficient childcare available to meet the varying needs of families across Wales, and how inequalities in access to childcare faced by particular demographic groups and across different parts of Wales can be addressed.

>>>What approaches exist to integrate delivery of childcare provision in Wales, and how can best practice be spread widely.

>>>How childcare providers and the workforce have been impacted by cost-of-living pressures, and what effects these have had on the sector.

>>>What lessons can be learnt from other parts of the UK and international best practice to improve childcare policy in Wales.

>>>How financial and practical barriers need to be considered in developing future childcare policy.

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Evidence gathering

The Committee has invited written evidence from a targeted group of stakeholders. It also gathered evidence via both formal oral evidence sessions - to gather ‘on the record’ evidence -  and informal evidence, such as stakeholder sessions at the Senedd and focus groups.

Oral evidence sessions took place on:

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>>>26 February 2024

>>>29 April 2024

>>>13 May 2024

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Stakeholders that the Committee will be inviting to give evidence came from the following areas:

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>>>Independent organisations working on childcare

>>>Childcare providers

>>>Experts from beyond Wales

>>>Welsh Government

Report

The Committee laid its report ‘Their Future: Our Priority? Follow up inquiry into childcare provision in Wales’ (PDF, 4674KB) on Wednesday 24 July 2024.

The response from the Welsh Government to the report was laid on 27 November 2024.

A plenary debate was held on 4 December 2024.

Other work

This inquiry was a follow-up to the inquiry into childcare and parental employment. The issue of childcare was also raised during the Committee’s work on the Welsh Government’s Draft Child Poverty Strategy. To read the report visit the inquiry homepage.