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Welsh Labour has made it clear that it will withhold its support for the Welsh government’s budget if any cuts are made to the Flying Start early years programme. Ken Skates, the leader of Welsh Labour, emphasized that protecting the future of Flying Start “has to be a red line” during their ongoing budget discussions with the government. Meanwhile, a minister from the Plaid Cymru-led government acknowledged strengths within the scheme but stopped short of confirming whether it will be maintained in its current format.
The Flying Start initiative, first introduced in 2007, targets children living in some of the country’s most deprived areas, focusing on enhancing their language, social, and physical development before they begin school. The programme includes 12.5 hours of free childcare for two-year-olds and forms part of a wider Welsh government ambition to provide 20 hours of free childcare a week for all children aged between nine months and four years. However, the expansion to a Wales-wide free childcare offer has put significant pressure on the government to secure substantial additional funding, estimated to fall between £250 million and £500 million annually depending on take-up rates.
In a recent discussion hosted by the Senedd Sources podcast, Dafydd Trystan Davies, Plaid Cymru’s Minister for Government Effectiveness, highlighted some uncertainties around the future of Flying Start. When asked if the programme would remain intact by the next Senedd election, Davies replied, “I don’t think I can guarantee that any single programme will be in its current form.” He stressed the importance of certain elements within Flying Start, such as speech and language therapy and health support, affirming that these provisions must continue as part of the broader childcare offer. Davies also noted varying levels of effectiveness between councils in delivering the programme and expressed a desire to see best practices adopted more uniformly.
The Welsh government’s financial plans have repeatedly faced difficulties, including a notable setback in July when a Senedd vote on additional spending failed due to a lack of agreement with Welsh Labour. Presently, negotiations continue between Plaid Cymru and Labour over both this year’s supplementary budget and next year’s full budget. Ken Skates voiced concern in an interview with BBC Walescast, warning that the government appeared to be redirecting Flying Start funds toward the new universal childcare offer, which he argued would mostly benefit middle and upper-class families at the expense of the vulnerable children Flying Start serves. Skates made it clear that any attempt to alter Flying Start would jeopardize Labour’s budget support, saying, “If Plaid Cymru think they can take the best of Flying Start and apply it in different areas, I’m afraid they’re going to let people down badly.”
Commenting on the debate, Steffan Evans from the Bevan Foundation pointed out that most children living in poverty do not currently benefit from Flying Start, suggesting a need for compromise to reach more families through a more universal approach. Conversely, Cristiana Emsley of Reform criticized Plaid Cymru for allegedly proposing cuts to vulnerable children’s funding while continuing to invest in overseas projects, accusing them of having misplaced priorities during a time of financial hardship for Welsh families. A spokesperson from the Welsh government reaffirmed their commitment to making childcare more accessible and affordable, explaining that the expansion phase builds on the Flying Start delivery model and includes plans to increase childcare providers so families have more options. These measures remain under review by the Expert Group on Childcare as the government advances its policy rollout
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