Flying Start

A Flying Start in Life

The Flying Start programme is delivered in specific areas accross Wales with the aim of supporting families to give children 0-3 years a better start in life.

Who can get support

Flying Start Services are available to all families with children under 4 years of age who live in a Flying Start area.

Do you live in a Flying Start area?

The Flying Start areas in Torfaen are based roughly on the following school catchment areas:

• Blaenavon Hillside

• Pontnewynydd

• Penygarn

• Thornhill Woodlands

However, Flying Start has a very specific postcode-based catchment. You should have been informed by your Midwife or Health Visitor if you or your child is eligible, but if you think that you may live in a Flying Start area and are pregnant or have a child under four years of age, call Torfaen Family Information Service on 0800 0196 330 to check.

What are the services?

- Health - enhanced health visiting and midwifery service
- Childcare - half-time childcare place for rising 2's
- Parenting Support - Sure Start and parenting courses
- Basic skills courses
- The development of Integrated Children's Centres (ICCs).

Health

The Flying Start HealthTeam will offer extra support and advice throughout pregnancy and the first years of your child's life. They will be able to help families with babies and toddlers with:
- Breast feeding/bottlefeeding and weaning;
- Speech and early language skills;
- Behaviour;
- Play activities;
- Healthy lifestyles;
- Family support for parents/carers and siblings;
- Child development;
- Safety.

Flying Start Childcare

If you live in a Flying Start area your child may be able to access free, part-time childcare where staff are highly qualified, trained and CRB checked.

A place could be offered from the term after your child's second birthday to the term in which they celebrate their third birthday, or until they enter nursery education - whichever comes first.

The following childcare providers also offer childcare under the Flying Start scheme:

Alison Fielding (Childminder) in Greenmeadow
Caroline Pimm (Childminder) in Southville
Mary Leighton (Childminder) in Ponthir
Michelle Browne (Childminder) in Pontypool
Nicola Jones (Childminder) in Penygarn
Sharon Cox (Childminder) in Upper Cwmbran
Tracey and Barrie Touhig (Childminders) in Pontypool
Vanessa Williams (Childminder) in Thornhill

Busy Bees Day Nursery in Blaenavon
Buzzy Bees Day Nursery in Upper Cwmbran

Cylch Meithrin Abersychan / Welsh medium playgroup in Abersychan
Cylch Meithrin Cwmbran / Welsh medium playgroup in Two Locks

Little Ducklings Playgroup in Trevethin
Little Seedlings Playgroup in Thornhill
Penygarn Under Fives Playgroup in Penygarn
Thornhill Playgroup in Thornhill

For more information on Flying Start childcare please contact Torfaen Family Information Service on freephone 0800 0196 330.

What are the objectives?

-Language development
-Cognitive development
-Social and emotional development
-Physical health
-Early identification of high needs
-Effective and appropriate corporate and financial management

Each child and family is assessed during the ante-natal period and after birth as low, medium and high priority. Services are then targeted to the level of priority; intensive support and additional services will be put in place where such need has been assessed. In Torfaen we will be engaging with all of the hardest to reach children and families in Flying Start areas.

Background and implementation

The first of the Welsh Assembly Government's Seven Core Aims for children and young people, (based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child), is a commitment to ensure that all children have a flying start in life. International research shows the potential short and long term economic paybacks for early years' investment. This has led to the development and implementation of the Flying Start Programme. Long term the aim is to target the number of people with very poor skills that probably contribute to the relatively high levels of income inequality found in Britain.

There is evidence that early language development is the most critical factor for personal, social and economic benefits. Additionally child well-being is clearly related to the nature of the household; living in a household where no adults work has consistently been shown to be associated with poorer outcomes for children. The provision of childcare can remove barriers for some parents from work, but in the Flying Start Programme the needs of children is the central focus

Flying Start's aim is to intervene in the lives of the most disadvantaged children to improve their life chances. The programme provides enhanced health visiting services, childcare, parenting and basic skills services.

Sure Start will also be available in Flying Start areas offering services including baby clubs and breast feeding groups. All parents in Flying Start areas will be entitled to a Parenting course (the Family Links Nurturing programme) and Language and Play and Number and Play. In LAP and NAP courses children and parents learn and play together either in group provisions or in the home for 6 weeks.

Families are also given the opportunity for a Basic Skills Outreach worker to give advice on the parent's own skills. The worker will provide one-to-one teaching and signpost parents onto suitable courses or give advice.

How is Flying Start funded?

Flying Start is a specific grant to local authorities, initially until the end of March 2011. It is strongly anticipated that this Programme will make a difference to the life chances of children aged under 4 years in the areas in which it runs. It will complement Cymorth early years funding and the Foundation Phase. It will contribute to achieving the standards in the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services.Torfaen Children and Young People's Partnerships will take the lead role. The programme has effective communication, reporting and accountability structure.

Contact

If you would like more information please contact:
Nia Richards, Flying Start Co-ordinator
Tel: 07507 647 365
Email: Nia.Richards@torfaen.gov.uk