Free childcare scheme to be extended across Neath Port Talbot/

Councillors have agreed for a free early education and childcare scheme to be rolled out across the whole of Neath Port Talbot by the end of January 2019.

Known as the ‘Childcare Offer Wales’, the scheme provides 30 hours a week of funded early education and childcare for eligible working parents of 3 to 4 year olds, for up to 48 weeks of the year.

Councillors have agreed for the scheme to be rolled out to the remaining areas of Neath Port Talbot in a phased approach over three stages. Applications for parents eligible for the new phase will open on Monday December 3^rd 2018, with the next phase opening on Wednesday 2^nd January 2019, and the final phase on Thursday 31^st January 2019.

The Welsh Government funded scheme was initially launched in September to 14 pilot ward areas, which has resulted in 150 children receiving 3,872 hours of funded childcare and over 75 providers registering to deliver the scheme.

Councillor Peter Rees, cabinet member for education, skills and culture, said:

“I am delighted that we are able to expand the Childcare Offer to all areas of Neath Port Talbot.

“This scheme makes a real difference to parents through reducing the strain on family income and helping to ensure childcare is not a barrier to taking up employment.”

The Childcare Offer is eligible to parents who live within one of the selected areas, have a child who is 3 or 4 years old, and earn on average a weekly minimum equivalent of 16 hours at national minimum wage (NMW) or national living wage (NLW) or more.

If you are in a lone parent family you need to be working, and if you are in a two parent family you both need to be working. If you are self-employed or on a zero hours contract you need to be able to prove this by providing the relevant documents.

For further information and to apply for the Childcare Offer, visit Neath Port Talbot Council’s Family Information Service website, www.nptfamily.com/childcareoffer .

Ehangu cynllun gofal plant am ddim ar draws Castell-nedd Port Talbot

Cytunodd cynghorwyr y dylid cyflwyno cynllun addysg gynnar a gofal plant am ddim ar draws Castell-nedd Port Talbot erbyn diwedd mis Ionawr 2019.

Mae’r cynllun, sef y ‘Cynnig Gofal Plant i Gymru’, yn darparu 30 awr yr wythnos o addysg gynnar a gofal plant a ariennir am hyd at 48 wythnos y flwyddyn ar gyfer plant 3 a 4 oed y mae eu rhieni’n gymwys ac yn gweithio.

Cytunodd cynghorwyr y dylid cyflwyno’r cynllun i’r ardaloedd sy’n weddill yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot mewn ymagwedd raddol dros dri cham. Bydd cyfle i rieni cymwys wneud cais ar gyfer y cam cyntaf o ddydd Llun, 3 Rhagfyr 2018, gyda’r ail gam yn dechrau ddydd Llun, 2 Ionawr 2019, a’r cam olaf ddydd Llun, 31 Ionawr 2019.

Lansiwyd y cynllun a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru ym mis Medi i 14 o ardaloedd ward peilot, ac o ganlyniad mae 150 o blant wedi derbyn 3,872 o oriau gofal plant sydd wedi eu hariannu a thros 75 o ddarparwyr wedi cofrestru i gyflwyno’r cynllun.

Meddai’r Cynghorydd Peter Rees, Aelod y Cabinet dros Addysg, Sgiliau a Diwylliant,

“Rwyf wrth fy modd ein bod yn gallu ehangu’r Cynnig Gofal Plant i holl ardaloedd Castell-nedd Port Talbot.

“Mae’r cynllun hwn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i rieni drwy leihau’r baich ar incwm teuluol ac yn helpu i sicrhau nad yw gofal plant yn rhwystr i dderbyn cyflogaeth.”

Er mwyn bod yn gymwys ar gyfer y cynnig, mae’n rhaid i’r rhieni fod yn byw yn un o’r ardaloedd peilot dewisol, mae’n rhaid bod ganddynt blentyn sy’n 3 neu’n 4 oed, ac mae’n rhaid iddynt weithio, ar gyfartaledd, leiafswm wythnosol sydd gyfwerth ag 16 awr ar yr isafswm cyflog cenedlaethol neu’r cyflog byw cenedlaethol neu fwy.

Os ydych yn deulu rhiant sengl, mae angen eich bod yn gweithio, ac os ydych yn rhan o deulu â dau riant, mae angen bod y ddau ohonoch yn gweithio. Os ydych yn hunangyflogedig neu ar gontract heb oriau penodol, bydd angen i chi brofi hyn drwy ddarparu’r dogfennau perthnasol.

Am fwy o wybodaeth ac i geisio am y Cynnig Gofal Plant, ewch i wefan Gwasanaeth Gwybodaeth i Deuluoedd Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot, www.nptfamily.com/childcareoffer?lang=cy-gb.