Flying Start
Flying Start is a Welsh Government funded programme and is available in targeted areas supporting all families to give 0-3-year olds a Flying Start in life. The programme aims to provide intensive support services for children and their families.
The focus of the programme is on promoting language, cognitive, social and emotional skills.
It also emphasises physical development and the early identification of high needs. This is achieved through the delivery of health support and guidance, parenting groups and support, and free part time childcare.
Get in touch
Follow Vale Flying Start on Facebook to keep up to date with latest news and events, or get in touch using the details below:
Flying Start Family Centre
Are you eligible?
Do you have a child aged 0-3 years 11 months and live in the Vale of Glamorgan?
You can use your postcode to check if you are eligible for Flying Start services.
Alternatively you can view all postcodes within the Flying Start catchment area:
What we do at Flying Start
Health Team
Our health team offer support and advice throughout pregnancy to the first 5 years of your child’s life.
Support includes Antenatal care in the home and clinic. We provide breastfeeding advice and Health Visiting. There’s also weaning advice through our Introducing Solids programme.
Lastly, we offer Speech and Language Therapist support.
Early Years Support
Our experienced Early Years Team offers support in the home and community venues across the Vale of Glamorgan.
Sessions include baby massage, stay and play groups, Early Language Development, and School Readiness.
High Quality Childcare
Funded part time childcare is available for children the term after their second birthday to the term after their third birthday.
This can be in our fully equipped playgroups, or in the home with our registered childminders. Funding is for 12.5 hours per week, term time only.
Parenting Support
The Parenting Support Team provides a range of support for the whole family. We deliver parenting programmes, Healthy Relationship work, and Health and Well-being support.
We also offer Get Cooking programmes and Safety in the Home. There is specific support for Fathers, along with budgeting and housing support.
Additionally, we provide Essential Skills courses for parents.
Speech, Language, and Community Support
We use a range of resources to support children’s speech language and communication. You can access many of these through the Welsh Government ‘Talk With Me’ web pages:
Supporting Children with Emerging and Additional Needs
We offer sessions and groups to support children with emerging needs and additional learning needs. This is through our Sense of Play programme and Rainbow group (0-4 years).
Support in childcare can be provided to support children with additional needs, including intervention from our Inclusion Team and Early Years Advisory Team.
To ensure children receive the most appropriate support, we will hold multi-agency meetings. Relevant professionals and the parents/carers will attend to formulate any support plans required.
Flying Start Outreach
Flying Start targets the highest areas of disadvantage across Wales. However, an outreach programme is in place to support families living outside of these targeted areas, who need support.
Families can access ad-hoc support for a specific reason such as child development support, or for the whole Flying Start offer, including Health Visiting. An assessment of need will need to be undertaken to ensure the appropriate level of support is in place.
Referrals for outreach can be made via self-referral or any professional working with a family (with consent). Referrals are made via the Early Help Team.
Telephone 0808 281 6727 and press option 1 to speak to the Early Help Service.
2-year-old Childcare Offer
In April 2023, Flying Start in the Vale of Glamorgan began to roll out its 2-year-old childcare offer. This is in line with Welsh Government’s expansion of the Early Years Provision.
The phased roll out of the 2-year-old childcare offer in the Vale of Glamorgan is continuous. If your postcode is not currently eligible, please contact us and we can discuss options or possible timescales your postcode area will be eligible for childcare.
Welsh Government have not yet advised us of the timescales of the full roll out.Â
What is the 2-year-old Childcare Offer?
The 2-year-old childcare offer provides 12.5 hours of childcare per week during term time.
Children will be eligible for the offer from the term after their second birthday until the term after their third birthday.
Childcare can be offered in both Flying Start Settings, and with private childcare settings.
They must be registered to provide the 2-year-old childcare offer.
Am I eligible?
To find out if you are eligible for the 2-year-old childcare offer, you can use the post code checker above.
If you are eligible, the system will direct you to the Citizen Portal to submit an application.
Following your application, our Childcare Liaison Officer will review your application and contact you directly to discuss your requirements.
Welsh Government Guidance
Visit the Welsh Government website for further information about their phased expansion of Early Years Provision:
Guidance on the expansion of Early Years Provision via Flying Start
Information for childcare settings
All childcare settings registered for the 2-year-old childcare offer have access to additional support from the Flying Start Inclusion Team. This includes regular quality visits and access to additional training.
If any childcare settings are interested in providing the 2-year-old childcare offer they should contact the team on:
Family Information Service
The Family Information Service can provide information on other sources of help with childcare costs. For example the Tax Free Childcare Scheme and the Childcare Offer for 3- to 4-year-olds:
They can also help you to find childcare if you aren’t eligible for Flying Start: