Flying Start Childcare is available at one of our partner playgroups, our Cylchoedd Mudiad Meithrin or Day Nurseries from Monday to Friday during school term time.
Flying Start Childcare is now available to families who live in one of the following areas:
- Meliden
- East Prestatyn
- Southwest Prestatyn
- parts of South and South East Rhyl
We will also roll out the Flying Start Childcare programme to parts of parts of Dyserth, Rhuddlan and Denbigh from September 2024.
Check if your postcode is in the Flying Start programme
What's available
Flying Start Childcare is available to provide up to twelve and a half hours free childcare (usually five sessions per week) during school-term at a setting registered to deliver the Flying Start programme.
The childcare can be used for children from the school-term after their second birthday, until the school-term after their third birthday.
We monitor the attendance of Flying Start children at their chosen setting. Your childcare funding may be at risk if your child’s attendance falls below 50% across a term. It is a parents/carers responsibility to inform the childcare setting of any absences and reasons for these that their child may have.
Flying Start Childcare availability
| Date of child's second birthday | School terms childcare will be available |
|---|
| Between 2 September 2024 and 5 January 2025 |
Spring school term to end of Winter school term |
| Between 6 January 2025 and 27 April 2025 |
Summer school term to end of Spring school term |
| Between 28 April 2025 and 31 August 2025 |
Autumn school term to end of Summer school term |
Session time availability depends on each setting, but will normally be:
- 9am to 11:30am
- 1pm to 3:30pm
All applications are subject to available spaces.
Flying Start Childcare settings
Select a town to view the childcare settings where Flying Start Childcare is available:
Denbigh
The childcare settings registered to deliver Flying Start Childcare in Denbigh are:
- Auntie Ali’s Childminding
- Bumble Bees
- Cylch Capel Seion (Welsh language setting)
- Cylch Meithrin Bodawen (Welsh Language Setting)
- Cylch Meithrin Henllan (Welsh Language Setting)
- Faye Salisbury
Dyserth
The childcare setting registered to deliver Flying Start Childcare in Dyserth is Hiraddug Childcare.
Meliden and Prestatyn
The childcare settings registered to deliver Flying Start Childcare in Prestatyn are:
- Bodnant Bach
- Clawdd Offa Bach
- Clwb Penmorfa
- Cylch Y Llys (Welsh language setting)
- Daisy Chains
- Miri Melyd (Meliden)
- Tiny Tots
Rhyl
The childcare settings registered to deliver Flying Start Childcare in Rhyl are:
- Beach House Day Nursery
- Cool Cats
- Cylch Dewi Sant (Welsh language setting)
- Cylch Y Dderwen (Welsh language setting)
- Fun Days nursery
- Happy Days
- Little Acorns at Christ the Word
- Little Acorns at the Oaktree
- Little Lambs at Emmanuel
- Little Lambs pre-school
- Summer House
How to apply for Flying Start Childcare
Applying for Flying Start Childcare is available at different times during the year. The following table shows when applying is available:
Flying Start Childcare application availability
| Date of child's second birthday | When applying will be available |
|---|
| Between 1 September 2024 and 5 January 2025 |
4 October 2024 to 15 November 2024 |
| Between 6 January 2025 and 27 April 2025 |
13 January 2025 to 21 February 2025 |
| Between 28 April 2025 and 31 August 2025 |
5 May 2025 to 15 June 2025 |
If you’ve missed the date to apply for Flying Start Childcare, you can email us to find out if Flying Start Childcare is still available.
After submitting an application
After submitting an application, you will receive a phone call from a member of the Flying Start Childcare team, where we will check the details you provided and discuss any queries that you may have.
Successful applications
If your application is successful, the Flying Start Team will send you an email confirming that your child has been allocated childcare provision.
If you have submitted an application for more than one child, you will receive a separate email for each application.
Only the Flying Start Administration Officer and Childcare Team Leader has the role of allocating childcare places and informing the childcare settings and parents/carers of the placements.
Over-subscription
If we receive more applications for places than a childcare setting has, then our over-subscription criteria will be applied, where we will consider:
- age of child
- any siblings attending the setting/school
- any Additional Learning Needs (ALN)
If this happens you may be offered a place with your second-choice preference instead. If your child is not allocated a place at either of your preferred Flying Start settings, there is no formal right to appeal against this decision.
If you decline an offer of an alternative childcare provision, your child will be placed on a waiting list and we will contact you as soon as a place becomes available at your preferred Flying Start provider.
Late applications
If you’ve missed the date to apply for Flying Start Childcare, you can email us to find out if Flying Start Childcare is still available.
A place could be allocated if there are spaces available at the setting you have applied for. If there are no places available, your child will be placed on a waiting list and we will contact you as soon as a place becomes available.
The aim of Flying Start Childcare
The aim of Flying Start Childcare is to build on and support all the things you have already taught your child. It’s a chance for your child to get used to playing in a larger group, take turns, make friends and develop their attention, thinking and listening skills all whilst exploring and having fun. They’ll learn new songs and try new things.