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Making a Difference to Communities in Wales

With funding from the

Moondance Foundation

Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs Bridge House, Station Road, Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5UW T: 029 2074 1000 F: 029 2074 1047 E: info@clybiauplantcymru.org

W: www.clybiauplantcymru.org

Company limited by guarantee 4296436.

Registered charity 1093260.

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Contents

About Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs .................................................... 3

Making a difference through funding from the Moondance Foundation .... 4

Meet the Team .......................................................................................... 5

Clwb Allysgol Corneli Sger in Bridgend ..................................................... 8

Dexters in Bridgend ................................................................................... 9

Hendre Out of School Club in Caerphilly................................................. 10

New Clubs in Cardiff ................................................................................ 12

Crossroads Care Sir Gâr, in Carmarthenshire ........................................ 13

Cardigan Playscheme, in Ceredigion ...................................................... 14

Munchkins at Llanbedr in Denbighshire .................................................. 15

Club support in Flintshire ......................................................................... 16

Archbishop Rowan Williams After School Club, Monmouthshire ............ 17

Training for Neath Port Talbot ................................................................. 18

Cool Kids @ Cradoc, Brecon, Powys. ..................................................... 19

Sonic Out of School Club, Torfaen .......................................................... 20

Little Stars After School club, Vale of Glamorgan ................................... 21

Brynteg Tigers, Wrexham ........................................................................ 22

Next Steps ............................................................................................... 23

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About Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs

Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs was established in 2001 and exists to help communities in Wales by promoting, developing and supporting quality, affordable, accessible Out of School Childcare Clubs. As of March 2018, there are 1,547 Before School, After School and Holiday Clubs (in 879 settings) offering 42,761 childcare places with a minimum of 1,758 Playworker jobs across Wales.

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Out of School Childcare Clubs are at the heart of many communities, offering a range of English, Welsh or Bilingual medium childcare. Without them, parents would be unable to work or train secure in the knowledge that their children are cared for in a safe stimulating environment. Clubs drive economic growth in communities, tackling poverty and reducing inequalities, helping to reduce child poverty.

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Childcare Clubs provide valuable play and learning opportunities for children (3-14 years). Research indicates that there are also other benefits relating to improved social skills, behaviour, school attendance and children feeling happier at school (Your Opinion Counts Project, 2016). Out of School Childcare Clubs also provide respite care for children with additional needs and vulnerable families.

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Through Childcare Business Development Officers (CBDOs), we facilitate the raising of standards in the current Out of School Settings via formal training and club support sessions including support in sourcing funding, developing policies and procedures, recruiting committee members, sourcing training, management of staff, business and financial planning and business health checks. Existing and new settings are supported to register with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), ensuring compliance with the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years. Through registration support, this also enables parents/carers to access financial assistance to meet the cost of childcare (for example, Tax Free Childcare, the Childcare Offer, Universal Credit).

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Since austerity, Local Authorities have sought to make savings, looking to keep money in house and retain their own staff. This has led to a reduction in the funds they have awarded Third Sector Organisations, which in turn has reduced our ability to support Clubs through the employment of Childcare Business Development Officers. Local Authority teams responsible for supporting childcare settings often have a multitude of other responsibilities, generally do not have specific staff responsible for Out of School Childcare Clubs (which have very different support needs to Early Years Settings) and do not have the years of experience and sector specific toolkits that we have developed as an organisation.

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This reduction of face to face support for Clubs has, since 2015, resulted in a loss of 109 Clubs and 2240 Childcare places, in 14 unfunded counties. The impact of these reductions, at a crucial time with the introduction of Government Initiatives to enable parents to work and train and lift families out of poverty, such as Tax Free Childcare and The Childcare Offer, means that Clubs are less supported to remain open and ensure families can benefit.

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Making a difference through funding from the Moondance

Foundation

Since December 2017, with one year funding from the Moondance Foundation, we have been able to employ a Childcare Business Development Officers (CBDOs), once again in each Local Authority, offering support through visits and bespoke one to one business skills sessions. This funding has been essential in developing positive relationships with Out of School Childcare Clubs, many of whom have not received face to face support from a Local Authority Development Officer in a number of years. The Moondance project has provided an opportunity for CBDO’s to build familiarity and trust with the Playworkers, Committees and Managers. The project has identified the challenges that clubs are currently facing; these include sustainability concerns, need for training, and CIW registration support. Additionally, our staff have observed a lack of awareness of governance and liability and a need to move the sector towards a limited liability business structure.

The CBDOs employed through funds from the Moondance Foundation have done an excellent job of supporting the Out of School Childcare sector to date and there are a multitude of examples of how their hard work, passion and support has enabled the development and/or sustainability of quality childcare for local communities across Wales. We have collated a few examples of the impact that these CBDOs, and the funding that has been so gratefully received, has had to date within this booklet.

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Meet the Team

Jane Weale

Hi, my name is Jane Weale and I am currently supporting Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire & Powys. I have previously worked as a Community Development Officer and as a Community Centre Manager where I set up and managed Childcare including Out of School Clubs. These roles have given me the experience and understanding of working in both the Voluntary and Childcare sectors.

Since joining the Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs I have gained a greater understanding of the Private Childcare sector and the issues they face. This has enabled me to provide a more comprehensive service to our clients. I have also been able to complete my Cache Level 3 Diploma in Playwork. This allows me to give the Playworkers reassurance during their training. I really enjoy the work I do and I am proud of all the settings I work with, they are all dedicated and enthusiastic.

I am currently the Childcare Business Support Officer for the areas of Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff. Prior to working for Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs I was a Pollution Control Officer within Rhondda Cynon Taf Council following working in a Cylch Meithrin for some years. My experience in the Meithrin was varied, from volunteering as the treasurer to becoming a member staff and working directly with the children themselves, supporting their development.

My time within the Cylch Meithrin has given me a good understanding of the pressures involved in running a setting and their day to day needs, which has enabled me to approach settings with empathy and understanding and has supported the development of working relationships. I have really enjoyed my time to date as a Childcare Business Development Officer. I really enjoy helping enthusiastic new club owners and watching their settings start to grow, and building a relationship with the settings in each of the counties I support. I feel the relationship built with the Clubs helps support them and give them a point of contact to go to when they have concerns or need clarification on things.

Georgina (Georgie) Larkins

Bethan Moss

Hi, my name is Bethan Moss, I currently support Out of School settings and clubs in Caerphilly County Borough and Torfaen County Borough. I have previously worked in the Third Sector as a Project Co-ordinator supporting communities to set-up and deliver Out of School provision. This has enabled me to work with settings to review their legal structure and governance but also work within good practice guidelines and create long term sustainable clubs. I have also worked within the private sector which has enabled me to offer a range of support services.

I enjoy meeting with settings, meeting people and developing relationships. I value being able to support organisations, to provide quality opportunities for our children and young people. Working for Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs is extremely rewarding, when I am out on visits, I love seeing the children playing, growing and learning- knowing that I am helping to support and shape that environment is invaluable. As a parent myself, I appreciate the need for affordable, good quality childcare. I am proud that through my role I can support families, just like mine, to access these services and know their children are in a safe, nurturing environment.

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Hi, my name is Ffion Jones and I am currently supporting Out of School Clubs in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and part of Powys. I have previously worked as a manager of a busy Out of School Club which gave me a good insight into how to support Out of School Clubs which are finding it challenging to sustain high quality childcare due to low attendances and funding needs.

Ffion Jones

Cath Smith

Hi, my name is Catherine Smith, and I am the Childcare Business Development Officer for Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs covering Gwynedd, Flintshire and Wrexham Counties. I am also the Welsh Language Support Officer.

Prior to working for Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs I worked for two years for Wales Pre-School Providers Association covering the county of Conwy as a Development Worker. Previously to that I worked for 6 year at Craig-y-Don Playschool and Out of School Club, as Assistant Manager. I sat as Chair for 3 years on Deganwy Playgroup’s committee and I also have two children a 9-year-old son and a 7-year-old son at home.

My experience of working within the sector as a whole is varied and stands me in good stead to offer support to Club Leaders/Managers, Head teachers, School Governors, Committee Members, Registered Persons and Parents. Through using my experiences and vast knowledge I have been able to build up some fabulous relationships with my settings in all counties. I have become someone that they can rely on and turn to in a crisis. I am very keen to continue with my professional development and have recently undertaken the Cache Level 3 Transition to Playwork (from Early Years). This has allowed me further insight in to Playwork. I thoroughly enjoy my time as a Childcare Business Development Officer in all counties.

Hi, my name is Rachel Tustin and I am currently supporting Denbighshire. I have worked for Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs since January 2018 and I also support Conwy County. I previously ran a day nursery and two Out of School Clubs which has given me a good insight into how Out of School Clubs run, how important they are to parents and this has all helped with my understanding of how to support Out of School Clubs. I have also been able to complete my Cache Level 3 Diploma in Playwork, which has been more than useful for my role. Since Supporting Denbighshire I have met some fantastic clubs and lovely Playworkers. I feel the bonds I am making with the settings is growing and the trust they have for me is clear as they contact me to help and support them with anything they may need.

Rachel Tustin

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Chillax in Blaenau Gwent

Jane Weale, Childcare Business Development Officer

Chillax is not your traditional Out of School Provision. Firstly, it is based in a secondary school in Abertillery and caters for children from 11 to 14 years. Secondly, the provision was created as a community project to support those children in need in the school. Their needs range from those in poverty, to those who are socially isolated. Abertillery is a deprived area with high unemployment and poverty. The community and the school recognised that there was a need to provide a space where children in need could be nurtured. The Chillax Breakfast and After School Clubs were set up to meet this need.

As a Voluntary Managed Committee run provision, the project was initially funded through Children in Need and then through the Big Lottery. I was first contacted by the setting at the beginning of December 2017 by telephone. The project manager contacted me to ask for some help as they had been turned down by the Big Lottery for continuation funding, and the manager asked if I could look at their application to see what might have led to the decision not to fund. I received the application via email and immediately it was evident that the bid had been written with a slant towards it being a school based project, when in fact the business is very much separate to the school. I contacted the manager who asked me to visit and discuss the application.

When I visited it was made clear that the Big Lottery fund was for a new element of the project and I went through the application highlighting the need for a community based project and community involvement. Funding was urgently required to keep the project worker in post. We discussed other funders that possibly could fund the project and whether there was a small grant that could tide them over until a larger grant came through.

During the discussions around funding I became aware that the group were not a registered charity and after further investigation were not an incorporated group. They expressed an interest in changing their legal status. We discussed the different structures and what would suit them, as well as the potential consequences of not becoming incorporated in terms of liability. At the time of discussion their priority was sourcing funding.

I kept in contact with Chillax and then in May 2018 I was asked to visit to discuss their legal status. I met with the project manager who notified me that they had been successful in securing a further 3 years funding through Children in Need but as a condition of their continuation funding they had to become an Incorporated Organisation. The project manager asked for advice about how to start the process and I also explained that as a charity there would be more funding available for them to apply for. The project manager was leaving the post and I made arrangements to meet with the new project manager to go over what was required to change legal status. I contacted the Development Officer from the Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) to provide additional support through the process, as they have a funded project to carry out this work

“Jane came into school and gave us advice on where we could get further funding and how to go about becoming a charity. This is something we needed to do for Children in Need, the charity that is funding our breakfast and afterschool club. She was able to direct us to GAVO who has helped us complete our charity status. She has also supported us in sourcing and applying to attend training for one of our volunteers” -- Chillax Project Manager

Without the support of Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs this project would not be in a position to fulfil their grant conditions and might lose their funding. The Childcare Business Development has offered support and advice to take the setting forward.

“We would not have had the advice we have had, definitely she is a vital part to our club”

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Clwb Allysgol Corneli Sger in Bridgend

Georgie Larkins, Childcare Business Development Officer

Clwb Allysgol Corneli Sger Out of School Club is a bilingual provision, based within an Integrated Children’s Centre and offers childcare for children aged 3-11 years from both the English and Welsh local schools. It was established by the Headteacher over 15 years ago and is run by a voluntary management committee, and managed on a day to day basis by Dorothy, who has worked at the club for the majority of this time. The club is based in a highly deprived area of Bridgend, and Dorothy regularly sources funding opportunities to allow her to keep the club fees as low as possible.

I arranged a meeting with Dorothy and the Responsible Person (in terms of their Care Inspectorate Wales registration), Alun, during the summer term. Both Dorothy and Alun had concerns about the number of children currently attending the club, and the future sustainability of the club. The number of children had dropped significantly and they had the additional pressure of an increase in rent.

We discussed how the club was marketed to both of the schools. I suggested they ask to be involved in the meeting for the new school intake to show new parents what they offered. We talked about other ideas such as an open evening for new parents to attend and online marketing. With so many parents using social media, I suggested a Facebook page as a good free marketing tool, outlining ways in which this could be used to increase engagement and knowledge about the quality, fun childcare experience on offer at the club. Both Dorothy and Alun were positive about the ideas and told me they would have a conversation with their committee.

Following the meeting, I kept in touch with Alun and Dorothy over email. I returned to visit the club in September. This was a really positive meeting. They had started to promote the club more actively in both schools, attending parents meetings. Alun created a Facebook page and is in the process of creating a website with additional information. The really good news is that the club has seen a big increase in the number of children attending, from an average of 7 children per night to 20. Further support to maximise the use of their social media presence will be offered in the next few months, prior to Moondance Funding coming to an end.

Through support offered to date, I have also discussed the legal structure of the setting, and reviewed the options available to them along with the benefits and challenges of each. Currently, Clwb Allysgol Corneli Sger is run by an unincorporated committee. In order to protect the liability of the volunteers on the committee, it is essential that the club is supported to move towards a limited liability structure. The club would like to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which would also open up additional funding streams to support the good work that they do on a daily basis. A large amount of support will be needed to achieve this however, as there are currently very few members on the committee (with committee recruitment another priority) and all of the current members have a number of other commitments which restricts the amount of time that can be spent supporting the club.

“We really do appreciate our Development Worker for the Bridgend Area”. – Dorothy

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Dexters in Bridgend

Georgie Larkins, Childcare Business Development Officer

Dexters Holiday Club offers a unique play focused experience for children aged 3-14years, based on a small farm in Bridgend. The Playleader, Angharad, is enthusiastic about play and its benefits for children’s social, emotional, cognitive and psychological development and there is a big focus on outdoor play, utilising the fantastic outside space available to them. During my visit to Dexters I met a 14 year old girl who enjoyed her time so much in Dexters that she was still attending and hoping to join as a volunteer when she gets to the right age. The holiday club is so much fun that children don’t want to leave!

Andy- Playworker at Dexters

Angharad would really like to develop the indoor space to enable more children to enjoy the club, as currently with the indoor space available the maximum number of children they can be registered to care for is 18 per day. This expansion would involve investment. As the club runs on the basis of creating exciting experiences for children whilst keeping fees as affordable as possible for local families, it is difficult for the club to afford large outlays. We discussed the difficulty finding funds for a private business to expand and potential fundraising options that might be available.

Following our conversation, Angharad contacted me to discuss the possibility of becoming a charity as a way of accessing funds to develop the club. We discussed the benefits and potential negative consequences of changing legal status after which Angharad decided that at this time it was not an approach that would work, with the costs outweighing the benefits.

We then discussed the possibility of offering wrap around to children aged 3-4 as a way of diversifying within the setting and meeting local needs in the long term in relation to the Childcare Offer. This business idea is currently on hold due to the expenditure that it would require to re-train staff in Early Years qualifications and to purchase suitable transport to travel to and from local schools. Support will continue to be provided to determine whether this business plan can become a reality in the future.

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Hendre Out of School Club in Caerphilly

Bethan Moss, Childcare Business Development Officer

Hendre After School Club, Caerphilly, was established in 1997 by a Voluntary Committee made up of parents; Caron was brought in to manage the setting in February 2012 and when the committee disbanded in October 2013, Caron took on the provision as a private venture rather than see the club close and the childcare places lost thus affecting the wider community.

The setting is registered to provide After School care for 32 children. Caron contacted me in June to explain that the school had asked the club to re-locate. The owner was unsure of how to move forward and was understandably concerned about letting local families down who heavily rely on the club to enable them to work.

During a number of club business skills sessions, the Childcare Business Development Officer has supported the club to produce an Action Plan of work required. This included support to liaise with Care Inspectorate for Wales in regards to modifying registration, amend their Statement of Purpose to accurately reflect the service delivery, identify a new, quality venue, and work in partnership with the Head Teacher and Senior Team from the new venue to offer a seamless approach to accommodating the club. Also supporting the club to monitor its effectiveness at meeting the needs of children and parents, and reflect on its quality.

The new venue within the Junior School will enable the club to extend the number of childcare places from 32 to 50, thus providing quality childcare for more families in the local area. It is anticipated that these additional 18 spaces will be available from January 2019, once the setting has had sufficient time to allow a seamless transition into their new venue.

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Supporting Statement Received from the Club:

“I understand that the role of Childcare Business Development Officer is externally funded and therefore up for review. I felt that I simply had to express the importance of this role being allowed to continue; without any exaggeration at all, my club would not be operating now if Bethan Moss hadn’t been there to support me. My club had preceded me, running for over 10 years before I became involved 6 years ago. It was held in the hall of a local comprehensive school and this summer, for various reasons of her own, the Headmistress of the school asked us to end our time there and find an alternative venue. Unfortunately this request was made of me in late June with the insistence that we find alternative premises by the start of the new school year, which didn’t give me long.

Almost immediately I contacted CPCKC and spoke to Bethan who was so helpful and understanding on the phone and within days we had arranged a meeting at my setting. During this meeting she was so supportive and made me feel more confident to take on the struggles that were to follow. She promised to contact the Headmistress on my behalf and try to get her to reconsider our lease; she also agreed to contact the heads of the onsite primary schools to ask if they could provide us with an alternative venue in case she was unsuccessful in her endeavour with the head of the senior school. By this point I had already contacted several other venues, other than schools, within walking distance but they had all proved to be too costly for the club to continue to run.

After several phone calls with the head of the junior school, Bethan was able to confirm that they would be able to offer us a home. Once again she was instrumental in assisting me with the measuring of premises to re-register the new setting with CIW and ensured that I was on task to have all of my paperwork including risk assessments etc, up to date and send off to support my application.

Despite still waiting on the confirmation certificate from the CIW I have now received verbal confirmation that my application was successful and that my transition to the new venue can be a smooth one. All through the summer Bethan has been in contact to check if I require any further help and has always insisted I keep her in the loop, especially if I am in need of any specific support.

It is thanks to Bethan that the parents are “thrilled and relieved that the club will remain open” because so many of them “rely on us for childcare because they don’t have family to fall back on”. This club has gone from strength to strength over the last 6 years and it would have been devastating for both staff and parents if the club was forced to close. It is thanks to Bethan and her role as Childcare Business Development Officer that my staff still have jobs and the parents we support still have access to the great after school care we can provide for their children.”

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New Clubs in Cardiff

Georgie Larkins, Childcare Business Development Officer

The city of Cardiff has large levels of population growth. It is expected that by 2035, there will be 72,000 new residents. Childcare provision needs to expand to support the growing City. During my time as Childcare Business Development Officer in Cardiff, I have had contact from several new developments, at varying stages within the process of setting up. Having funded hours to support these settings through face to face visits, telephone calls and emails has been invaluable in supporting them through the process.

I met with Polka Dots Childcare in the weeks before their new club opened. Polka Dots is run by two childminders Rachel and Rachael. They come to the project with a wealth of experience and positivity. They wished to provide breakfast, wrap around and After School care for 3 different schools within a church hall. With such high demand in the area, even before opening they were considering expansion. During the meeting I acted as a sounding board to discuss their ideas for the club, expanding to the additional settings and a future holiday club. As with many new settings, finding the right staff is a major barrier, but access to training was discussed for the right candidate. Care Inspectorate Wales registration is something Polka Dots Childcare were eager to obtain prior to the club opening. They really appreciated the opportunity to talk though their plans and receive advice and reassurance The Club is now open with 16 children.

“Very Helpful! Talked through everything with us, gave loads of advice and support! Thank you So Much ” Rachel Saddler

A married couple looking to develop Creigiau Active Sports Childcare Club have a very different back ground. Jacqui was previously working within charity projects and Dez was a teacher in a school. They took the decision to start their new sport based club as a result of their knowledge of the need for quality childcare in the village. I met with Jacqui to discuss the viability of the club and the process involved with starting a new setting. They talked through everything to everything from registering as a limited liability business to CIW registration. I have continued contact with both Jacqui and Dez, helping with questions about anything from qualifications to the requirements of CIW and the National Minimum Standards. The club is now up and running hoping to expand to holiday childcare after registration with CIW. We will continue through the registration process and supporting with the growth of the business.

“very helpful and informative” Jacqui

“Excellent thank you!” Dez

Another teacher, Samantha, had noticed a need for Out of School Childcare in her son’s school. Having taken redundancy from her teaching job she decided this was the ideal time to try something new. This is when she contacted Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs for advice. When I met with Samantha, she had found a venue but was unsure of how she wanted to run the setting and the legal requirements around this. I was able to offer lots of advice and help build her confidence in the new business. I will be continuing to support the new club going forward

Excellent advise given. Delighted! I met with Georgina – Samantha Hazel

I really enjoy helping enthusiastic new club owners and watching their settings start to grow. I feel the relationship built with the owners helps support them and give them a point of contact to go to when they have concerns or need clarification on things. Setting up a new childcare business can be overwhelming at first and so having someone who can discuss things face to face and check over things like policies and procedures is invaluable in supporting these new businesses.

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Crossroads Care Sir Gâr, in Carmarthenshire

Ffion Jones, Childcare Business Development Officer

Crossroads Care Sir Gâr Ltd. is a registered charity offering practical and emotional help to carers in Carmarthenshire. The main office is based in Llanelli, approximately 10 minutes from the town centre. Crossroads Care Sir Gâr puts Carers and the people they support at the heart of everything they do. In April 2018, Crossroads Care Sir Gâr was approached by Carmarthenshire Local Authority to run a holiday club in Llanelli for children with additional needs. The nearest alternative specialised childcare for children with additional needs is Carmarthen Breakthro which is based 20 miles away in the village of Nantgaredig. Due to high parental demand and a gap in the Llanellli area for childcare provision specializing in additional needs and the demand to have it running ready for the Summer holidays, time was limited. The Service Development Officer for Crossroads Care Sir Gâr, Joanne contacted me for advice on setting up the Holiday Club as she had concerns regarding opening it in such a small time frame. As the Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs’ Childcare Business Development Officer for Carmarthenshire, I supported Joanne on setting up the new Club. We met a day after the initial contact to discuss what support was needed and what services I could offer.

Due to Crossroads Care Sir Gar already offering weekend club once every couple of weeks for children under the age of 12, a brief action plan was already in place and the weekend club was CIW registered. With support from myself, Joanne approached the Headteacher of Ysgol Heol Goffa (a special needs school for children who have learning difficulties) to request renting the school during the holidays in order to offer holiday care. Once the venue was approved, Joanne and Mel (Playleader) carried out market research and started their application to Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) to extend registration. I gave support with the CIW registration process and it was completed and submitted for review that same week. I ensured that staff had the appropriate Playwork Qualifications to meet the recent CIW regulations and liaised with Carmarthenshire County Council to arrange for the Playleader and another staff member to be listed on the next funded Transitional to Playwork qualification. These staff members then attended the course have recently received their Transition in Playwork Level 3 qualification.

Joanne was concerned about the challenge of employing suitably qualified staff members to work/volunteer during the Summer Holidays. I suggested ways in which she could publicise and advertise the jobs to target the correct individuals. A number of jobs were advertised internally within The Crossroads Care Sir Gar team and also within the Local Authority. Joanne had a number of suitable candidates for the job roles as 1:1 Playworkers, with some willing to volunteer for a couple of days during the Summer Holidays. Due to Crossroads Care Sir Gar becoming members with Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs, they benefited of having discount on DBS checks, which allowed them to save money for their planned day trip.

We also discussed how the Club was going to be promoted, I suggested using social media to promote the club by using electronic posters either by creating a new page or by using the Crossroad Care Sir Gar page which have a high number of followers. We also talked about having an open day for the Club to show parents what the Club offers. Both Joanne and Mel were positive about these ideas and put them into action by arranging an open day for children and their parents on the 5th of July 2018. This resulted in many booking their children to attend the Club over the summer holidays.

The Holiday Club opened on the 30th of July 2018 and ran throughout the 6 weeks of Summer Holiday offering a total of 12 places per session. The Holiday Club was a success and parents were very happy with the service they had received. Since the opening of the Holiday Club, I have met with Joanne to discuss the success of the holiday club. Joanne was very grateful for the ongoing support I have given her since the first visit. I continually support Carmarthenshire Crossroads Care Sir Gar with any concerns they may have. Due to the Holiday Club becoming so successful, they have decided to continue the running the club in October half term.

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Cardigan Playscheme, in Ceredigion

Ffion Jones, Childcare Business Development Officer

Founded in 1993, Cardigan Playscheme is a charitable organisation incorporating a Playscheme, After School Club and Toy Library. Cardigan Playscheme is located in the centre of Cardigan, providing a wide range of bilingual play activities for children 4-11 years, living in the deprived area of Cardigan. The Playscheme runs for 9 weeks of the year during all of the school holidays except Christmas and the After School Club runs everyday after school & on inset days.

Cardigan Playscheme contacted me for funding support particularly for community projects, arts and crafts and day trips for children. As it a charity, Cardigan Playscheme heavily relies on funding to sustain their services for the community. I supported the manager and a committee member with information about potential funding and on completing funding application forms following an initial visit.

Also during my first visit to Cardigan Playscheme, I made the setting aware of the Childcare Offer and Ceredigion’s aims to roll it out from September. I provided them with information leaflets for them as a childcare provider and to give to parents and went through the process step by step of registering the Playscheme online to provide the Childcare Offer. Cardigan Playscheme, offering both after school and holiday care for children as young as 3 years, is able to provide the Childcare Offer from October.

We also discussed the changes to regulations regarding Playwork qualification, we discussed the qualifications currently held by Playworkers there and the training available locally . This resulted in the manager enrolling a number of staff onto a funded NVQ Playwork Level 3 at the local collage. A number of staff are hoping to finish their Playwork qualification before the end of next year.

“Thank you so much for all the support you have given us over the last year, we have really appreciated it. Great meeting to develop information. Nice to have a friendly face, Ffion is very approachable” Manager, Cardigan Playscheme

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Munchkins at Llanbedr in Denbighshire

Rachel Tustin, Childcare Business Development Officer

Munchkins at Llanbedr is a Wrap Around Club based on the grounds of Ysgol Llanbedr in a truly rural area of Denbighshire. Munchkins at Llanbedr is a Church of Wales School and aims to serve the community by providing childcare of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. Munchkins can be found in beautiful green surroundings with picture perfect views. The community feel within the club is hugely present as soon as you enter: from events being advertised on the notice board and door, to the parents having a huge input into the club itself.

Munchkins, a Voluntary Managed Committee run provision and a member of Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs, welcomed me, their Childcare Business Development Officer to the club and showed off their community garden space and ideas. During this first visit it was highlighted that the club were seeking funding to enhance their work and they asked advice as to where they could find funding.

I suggested that the National Lottery Awards for All would be a perfect funding opportunity for them as they are very much community based and the discussion led to them explaining to me how they feel a Yurt would be a perfect addition to the community garden to be used as an outdoor classroom for all weather types and for the community to develop events in. The ideas kept flowing and it was agreed that fencing off the community garden would also be a great way to keep the growing vegetables safe from playing children.

With all the ideas and wishes discussed and noted I travelled back to the office and worked on the application form, continuing to work collaboratively with them over email. The passion the club had towards the project helped me to support the completion of the application, and we also included a few workshops for the children to enhance the project and to support the children to develop new skills.

The application was reviewed by the club staff, sent off to the National Lottery Awards for All grant funders and the application was successful. I have since visited the club to discuss plans for the successful project and look very much forward to visiting the club again to see how the Yurt, Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs workshops and outdoor equipment has had a positive impact on the children and the club for the future.

Support will continue with Munchkins to ensure the project is complete and that the community and club can enjoy their Yurt and the endless opportunities it will bring for the club.

‘Thank you for your help and support with our funding application’ Cara Williams

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Club support in Flintshire

Cath Smith, Childcare Business Development Officer

I have really enjoyed getting out to the settings in Flintshire and meeting new managers/leaders, staff and children.

There is a vast amount of Out of School Childcare Clubs in the Flintshire varying from nursery settings, larger childcare centres, to small After School Clubs run by voluntary management committees.

I really wanted the settings to see my visits as an opportunity to share information, and wanted to encourage an open dialogue. I initially sent out an email to all settings so that they all had my contact details, allowing them the opportunity to contact me with any immediate thoughts, feelings or needs.

The first club I met in the Flint area was Teddy Bear Towers. I received a very warm welcome and it was apparent to me that the manager appreciated the visit. The manager very easily opened up to me and within no time at all we were discussing issues they were having with sustainability and the Childcare Offer. The manager made her feelings of isolation and the desire for support and guidance apparent. I spent an hour with the manager discussing issues and supporting her.

As I visited more settings in the Flint/Mold/Deeside area, I found that the feelings of the manager at Teddy Bear Towers were replicated elsewhere: that feeling of isolation and the desire for support and guidance which has previously been unavailable to them.

I visited a further two settings and received an incredibly warm welcome from both settings. Sunray Day Care is a very well run Day Care Centre and their standards are incredibly high, however I found that regardless of how self sufficient they were, they too had issues with regards to the Childcare Offer and relished in the fact that they had face to face support and I could answer any questions and issues that they had.

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Archbishop Rowan Williams After School Club, Monmouthshire

Jane Weale, Childcare Business Development Officer

Archbishop Rowan Williams (ARW) After School Club has been open since 2009, but registered with Care Inspectorate Wales in 2017. They received their registration in September 2017, allowing them to offer an After School Provision for just under three hours each day. The club based in a small village near Caldicot in Monmouthshire is registered for 48 children.

I first visited ARW in November 2011. It was a general visit to introduce myself. I met with the Play Leader and we discussed my role and what she felt the clubs needs were at that time. One of the main issues was the difficulty in recruiting committee members. The club is voluntary managed and relies on parents becoming board members. All the work was falling on to a limited number of committee members and the Play Leader. We discussed possible ways of recruiting members and I suggested a variety of techniques, for example using fetes as an opportunity to talk to parents. Parents picking up children from clubs often didn’t have the time to talk, so a fete where the children were engaged in an activity would give club staff an opportunity to talk to parents.

The school were holding their Christmas Fayre at the end of November 2017 and I was asked to come along and support the club with recruiting possible new committee members. The Fayre was very well attended and as the After School Club Room had to be passed in order to get to Father Christmas, their room was full most of the time. Whilst children were keenly engaged in the Christmas craft activities I approached parents to discuss the club. I asked parents if they used the club, promoting the services as I went along. I spoke to them about how the club was run and that as a Voluntary Managed Committee there was a need to continually recruit new members in order to keep the club running. During the event I had managed to speak to about 12 parents, 4 of whom expressed an interest in becoming involved and gave me details. I passed these on to the Club Chair Person. Two people came on board as committee members as a result of this.

During the event I was able to meet existing committee members and we talked about the club’s development. I mentioned that there was a need for holiday clubs and the committee member said that the club were interested in setting up a Holiday Club. I mentioned that the Local Authority had grants available for new provisions.

After the event ARW decided to progress with the Holiday Club Development. They put their variation form in to CIW to request to extend their provision, and ran a trial during the Easter holidays. They opened for 3 mornings for one week of the holidays and had 17 children. It was hoped that their inspection would be before the Summer Holidays so they would be able to open full days. I went out in July to go through a pre-inspection check with them to ensure all their policies and procedures were in place.

They finally had their inspection in July just prior to the Summer Holidays. There were a couple of issues around the outside area which the club were able to sort very quickly with aid of parents. All went well and they were given the go ahead for the Holiday Club. This Summer, they were able to provide 4 weeks of registered holiday childcare, with up to 20 children attending each day, supporting local parents/carers to be able to work during the school holidays safe in the knowledge that their children were being well cared for.

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Training for Neath Port Talbot

Georgie Larkins, Childcare Business Development Officer

Playing Out with the Elements

The Out of School Childcare Clubs in the Neath Port Talbot area vary a great deal. From nursery settings, larger childcare centres to small After School Clubs run by childminders or voluntary management committees as an addition to their day jobs. The borough covers both urban and rural areas. Within the well being assessment it states that 30% of children in the Neath Port Talbot area live in poverty with a higher proportion than average of children being over weight or obese.

One of the first clubs I met in the Neath Port Talbot area was the Aberavon Children’s Centre. They were concerned about how rarely the children in their setting played outside, with some children unsure of how to play outdoor games. We discussed looking to secure funding in order to run a series of in club workshops related to health and outdoor play. In Club workshops enable an experienced Training Officer to deliver a fun, hands on experience for children attending a club during club hours, whilst training up the Playworkers at the same time. They can cover a wide range of topics including science, the elements, games, nature, culture, acting and storytelling.

When I returned from the visit I started to look for funding to supply these workshops and assisted the childcare setting in a grant application, outcome pending.

As I visited more settings in the Neath Port Talbot area I found that regardless of whether the settings were based in urban areas or in the Rural Valley community, the feelings of isolation and the desire for additional training opportunities was universal. This has led me to research and apply for opportunities to deliver training opportunities within the county that would be open to all clubs, as an opportunity to not only upskill the workforce, but to also provide the staff with a means of networking and meeting other Playworkers/Managers.

During the year we have submitted 4 funding application to provide workshops and networking events and are currently working on 2 further applications. I hope we can secure funding to help these clubs feel less isolated. I would also like to explore the possibility of buddying up settings in Neath within my future support visits.

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Cool Kids @ Cradoc, Brecon, Powys.

Jane Weale, Childcare Business Development Officer

Cool Kids @ Cradoc is a successful Out of School Club based in a small village just outside of Brecon in Powys and opened in 2002. The Manager has been running the provision since it opened. It is a rural setting with the school having a pupil roll of 131. The Out of School Provision offers Breakfast, After School and Holiday Clubs with 32 places in each. There is a 62% take up of spaces in the provision.

Due to funding cuts, Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs had not had a presence in Powys for some time. With the layout of the county, a number of Childcare Business Development Officers share the support of settings in Powys. I visited the club in February 2018, the Club Manager welcomed me, and we had a casual discussion about how the club was doing and the support that the I could offer. I agreed to visit again in the Spring term. In April, the Club Manager rang the CPCKC Office, she was very concerned about a meeting she had with the Local Authority’s Support team and wanted some advice. She had been told that the club’s Voluntary Management Committee was unincorporated and that they needed to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. I talked through the issue and explained why it would be in the group’s best interest to become a CIO and that the committee members would not have the personal liabilities they have at present.

Later in April the issue came up again with another Out of School Provision in Powys. I gave them the same information as Cool Kids and made them and Cool Kids aware that I had received an email from the Care Inspectorate for Wales that as a registered provision, if they changed their legal status they would have to re-register their club. The clubs had not been made aware of this fact. Re-registration is a major stumbling point and requires a lot of work. It also could cause some clubs problems as the National Minimum Standards have changed and in some cases clubs would not meet the new standards for the buildings they are located in and would not be able to register, which would potentially result in a loss of registered places if they tried.

“On one such occasion Jane was able to direct me to the legal requirements of CIW on clubs that need to become a CIO. Her advice, based on the information gained, was by far more beneficial than that offered by our own business support office based in Powys. Not only this but Jane has offered to lead us through the whole process in order that it runs smoothly and causes minimum disruption to our service.”

The Club Manager contacted the CBDO again in June. This time she had been told that as she was taking children under 5 years her staff required not only a Playwork qualification but also a Level 3 Children’s Care, Learning and Development qualification. The Club Manager asked if the CBDO could advise her on where to enrol on the course. The CBDO explained that as an Out of School Provision she did not require an early years qualification and that she would not be able to get on an apprenticeship as she and her staff did not meet the criteria. At this point the Club Manager asked the CBDO to visit and to talk through these points.

“Jane has been extremely helpful on a number of occasions. I feel she offers good advice based on her wealth of experience plus common sense logic and on the few occasions she doesn't know the answer to my questions she will go away and find out more information.”

At the meeting the qualification issue was discussed and that it was explained that as an Out of School Provision under the new qualifications a Level 3 in Playwork was required. There was also a discussion about legal status and the options open to the group were discussed e.g. CIO or Limited Company by Guarantee. The Club Manager was grateful for the information given and felt that she was fully informed of the choices available to them. The CBDO had contacted Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) who would support Cool Kids through the change in legal status. In July the Club Manager asked the CBDO if she would help them through the process.

By having a CBDO on the ground visiting clubs, a relationship is built up, clubs feel at ease in contacting and our approach is a nurturing one, ensuring all the facts are in place before clubs are advised to do anything. We are not a regulatory body so clubs do not have to do anything we advise, but by backing up everything with facts the CBDOs give sound advice.

“There is no doubt without such expertise and support clubs like ours would find it difficult to be sustainable.”

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Sonic Out of School Club, Torfaen

Bethan Moss, Childcare Business Development Officer

Sonic Out of School Club is registered to provide 44 childcare places for children aged 3-11 and offers a Breakfast Club and After School Club service in the New Inn area, Torfaen County Borough. There are 7 Playworkers at the setting and John Turner oversees the running of Sonic Out of School Club, including the admin and finance duties.

The staff at Sonic Out of School club provide the children with a safe, stimulating environment with lots of opportunities to play, such as, music and movement, arts and crafts, loose parts, construction, a role play area and a dedicated games room.

I have developed a fantastic relationship with all the staff at Sonic Out of School Club and enjoy going out to visit the setting. I have provided a wealth of business support to the setting which has included advice on GDPR, reflecting on practice and achieving the National Minimum Standards, as well as assisting in the extension of registered childcare places from 40 to 44, I have also supported the setting to liaise with CIW where necessary. We have one member of staff from SONIC completing their Level 3 Apprenticeship in Playwork and another learner due to start their Level 3 in the next cohort.

Sonic Out of School Club recently underwent the School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale, commonly known as SACERS - it is designed to assess care for children of school age 5 to 12. Over the years, the setting have been extremely anxious about the Local Authority SACERs. The setting contacted myself to help them review past SACERS assessments and suggest changes to better the service delivery. I made a number of recommendations including re-organising the play space and advising on implementing a range of play activities. This included contacting the Local Authority to request clearing of an overgrown outdoor area so the children and club could access more outdoor space and offer a wider range of play opportunities. The setting have now started a gardening club and this year saw Sonic’s most successful score in three years. Moving forward, I will be working closely with SONIC to complete a Feasibility Study to identify a possible need for Holiday Childcare and potentially offer a 44 place registered Holiday Club.

“I am very appreciative of the help and support given by Bethan in her work with the Club. This has enabled us to improve our service and this is reflected in the recent very positive report we had from CIW which is to be published on 19th September.” John Turner, Registered Person for Sonic Out of School Club

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Little Stars After School club, Vale of Glamorgan

Georgie Larkins, Childcare Business Development Officer

I went to visit the After School Club in Gwenfo Primary School as part of my work making contact with clubs. The club was a small, lively, unregistered committee run club. As they were busy on the day of the visit they agreed to contact me to organise a meeting.

In the following weeks I received a message from the Head Teacher. She had serious concerns about how the club was being run and told me she would really appreciate our help.

I met the Head Teacher the following week. Although the children in the club were very happy the staff employed in the club had been expressing concerns about missing wages and lack of activity from the committee members. The teacher had talked to the two remaining committee members and made the decision the current club would close.

To minimise the disruption to current parents using the club it was agreed the club would close in the summer with the aim of a new club opening in the following September.

We talked through plans for the new club. I explained that although the club is unregistered, working to the standards of CIW registration would offer reassurance the club is being run well and offer the advantage of making it easier to apply for registration later. I also outlined the benefits to parents and children of registering the club, including financial support available to parents/carers. The current club had 3 members of staff and sometimes as few as 6 children. I advised the ratio for a registered club would be 1 to 8, but with a minimum of 2 members of staff for Safeguarding an best practice. As the new club was to be committee run I explained the advantage of registering as a charity and the pitfalls of remaining unincorporated.

I contacted the Head Teacher a few weeks later to ask about progress with the recruitment of the committee. The three teaching assistants who had established the original club were keen to get involved.

I met the new committee in the last week of the summer term. We talked through their plans for the new club, discussing everything from roles and responsibilities, policies and marketing to recruitment and qualifications. I reiterated the advantages of becoming an incorporated charity and achieving CIW registration. They really appreciated the help offered.

“Lots of information to think about, look forward to discussing our new club” – Rhys

I look forward to supporting the club with registration with the CIW which will help more parents access the setting through financial support available, and make the childcare more affordable. The new club has prevented a potential loss of childcare places, if the Head Teacher had made the decision to close the old provision and not open something in its place. It has also opened up the opportunity to ensure that this new service is set up and developed to be a robust, quality business, reflecting on legal structure and registration status.

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Brynteg Tigers, Wrexham

Cath Smith, Childcare Business Development Officer

Brynteg Tigers is an English medium provision offering After School and Holiday Clubs, based in Ysgol Brynteg in Wrexham.

I was contacted by the Senior Playworker of Brynteg Tigers after they had received a non-compliance after a CIW inspection in relation to their risk assessments. Thanks to the funding from the Moondance Foundation I was able to travel to the club and give one to one support to the Senior Playworker.

On arrival at the club I was shown the risk assessments that the club had already in place and they were based on the forms that the school that they are based in use.

I sat with the Senior Playworker for 2 hours as we walked through an off site trip that they would take the children who attend holiday club on. By giving the time and support face to face in order to ‘see’ the hazards and how best to mitigate them the Senior Playworker stated that she felt so much more confident in completing future risk assessments. She also stated that she felt more confident in the outcome when CIW return to ensure that the setting was compliant. Failure to address non compliance notices can result in forced closure or suspension of registration status, which can have a huge impact on families reliant on childcare services. This support has helped to prevent this from happening.

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Next Steps

The funding from the Moondance Foundation has enabled our Childcare Business Development Officers to establish positive working relationships with the Out of School Sector across Wales built on trust. Whilst our core work provides settings with a level of support through toolkits, online resources, E-News, a Quarterly Newsletter and representing the sector within certain Regional and National meetings, the benefit of having a knowledgeable Childcare Business Development Officer working on the ground with Managers, Committees and Childcare Practitioners to provide bespoke, face to face support is undeniable. Through face to face visits, issues can be identified prior to becoming larger problems that result in club closure and loss of essential childcare for local families. Visits also enable trust to be developed, which increases the likelihood of Managers/Committees requesting or accepting support needed.

The Moondance funding has enabled us to better identify the challenges that the Out of School Childcare sector across Wales are currently facing. It is essential that we source further funding to enable this support to be continued and to allow our Childcare Business Development Officers to address issues that might otherwise lead to community childcare groups becoming unsustainable, de-registering with Care Inspectorate Wales (with implications on parents being able to access financial support for childcare), failing to meet the needs of children in terms of quality services, or closing.

A business assessment survey undertaken in 2016 identified that 36% of settings which responded are run by Voluntary Management Committees, as unincorporated associations, which rely on community volunteers. As committee members have changed over the years, we anticipate that many voluntary managed settings (356 settings, 41%) do not understand the liability implications of running as unincorporated associations. Additionally, some Local Authorities are insisting on incorporation before Clubs can access funding or take part in The Childcare Offer. Consequently, support for settings to review and amend their legal structure going forward is essential.

The funding from the Moondance Foundation has enabled a wealth of support to be offered during the past year, and we would very much appreciate a further donation to allow us to continue providing this much needed support across Wales.