Following the announcement regarding school closures, there is a need to provide childcare services to ensure the continuation of frontline services.
We are putting measures in place to open a limited number of our schools to provide care for children of key workers from Monday, March 23.
It is vitally important that parents follow Government advice and keep their children at home where possible to help contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).
If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and your child cannot stay at home, then your childcare will be prioritised.
- Health and social care
- Education and childcare
- Key public services
- Local and national government
- Food and other necessary goods
- Public safety and national security
- Transport
- Utilities, communication and financial services
Childcare hubs
Childcare services will be provided Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm from the following locations for children aged 4 -12:
- Ysgol Penrhos, Llanelli
- Ysgol Bro Banw, Ammanford
- Ysgol y Dderwen, Carmarthen
- Burry Port Primary School
- Ysgol y Felin, Llanelli
- Ysgol Johnstown, Carmarthen
- Ysgol y Ddwylan, Newcastle Emlyn
- Ysgol Griffith Jones, St Clears
- Llandeilo Primary School
- Ysgol Rhys Prichard
- Ysgol Brynaman
- Ysgol Pontyberem
- Ysgol Carreg Hirfaen
The situation is being continually reviewed and additional provision will be provided going forward based on demand.
How to register for childcare (children aged 4-12)
If you are a key worker and require childcare please complete the booking form below. A confirmation email will then be sent to you to confirm your child / children has a place. It is very important that parents do not turn up at the hub locations if they have not received a confirmation email from us.
It is very difficult at this stage to know what the demand will be; and we are having to put these measures into place very quickly. We will do our best to accommodate as many children as we can, but we ask that parents please bear with us whilst we put these arrangements in place.
The aim is to develop a sustainable service so that we can ensure a continuing provision in what is currently an uncertain and difficult time.
It will be necessary to complete a booking form weekly to request childcare provision for the following week. We will let parents know when we will require this information by as soon as possible.
Applications for Monday, March 23, are now complete and we have contacted all applicants. We will have more provision from Wednesday to meet demand, please register as soon as possible to apply for childcare up until April 3.
Childcare for children aged 0-3
Please continue to use your current registered childcare provider; however, if you are unable to, we can help. Places in childcare will be highly limited, and even for key workers, provision will only be made available in childcare settings where there is no safe alternative for your family.
First, search for childcare via the Dewis Cymru directory on the Family Information Service website. Then contact your chosen childcare provider directly to see if there is availability and to make the necessary arrangements.
If after following the above, you are unable to find childcare, please phone Carmarthenshire Family Information Service on 01267 246555.
Why is my child’s school not being used as a hub?
We have set up three strategic care hubs across the county to provide care and to trial and further refine our approach before it is rolled out to additional communities on Wednesday, March 25.
Resources have been focused on implementing a graduated approach to ensure robust, sustainable and resilient arrangements for the longer-term, in the event that closures continue after the planned Easter break.
Following advice from Public Health Wales and Welsh Government we are minimising social contact to protect our children, young people and staff, and lower the risk of spreading the virus. Parents are advised to keep their children home whenever possible and as such we are keeping numbers in educational or childcare settings to the minimum possible whilst prioritising care for the children of doctors, nurses, midwives, social care staff and paramedics in the first instance.
Where we have capacity, it has been possible to include care workers. We appreciate that this approach might not meet all needs at this point in time, but we aim to meet demand by Wednesday as further care hubs open. We ask for people’s understanding in that we are working to help as many people as possible whilst considering the Government’s advice.
Do the children need to wear school uniform?
This is down to parental choice – the children can wear their normal school uniform or their own clothes.
Are meals provided or do children need to bring a packed lunch?
The children are provided with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and healthy snacks. However, the children can bring a packed lunch if they so wish.
How far in advance can I book my child’s childcare place?
You can now register to apply for childcare for your child up until April 3.
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