The Early Years & Childcare Workforce in Wales: 2010

In 2005, Melyn Consulting undertook research which for the first time presented an analysis of the early years and childcare workforce in Wales. In 2010 we undertook research to update the situation. 

The research report provides an updated assessment and comparison with 2005 to provide a measurement of progress across the sector and an insight into current issues around training, qualifications, recruitment and retention.

Draft Report

This research was commissioned by National Childminding Association [Wales] to give a greater understanding of why disabled children take up a disproportionately small number of childcare places. Specifically it aimed to answer the following questions:

• What are the barriers to offering childcare to disabled children?
• Would training encourage providers to accept disabled children?
• How is information made available in each Local Authority area and how can improvements be made?
• What are parents’ main concerns regarding childcare for their children?

Disability Research Report 2009  

In 2008 we undertook research to examine to gather a range of information on Playworkers in Wales to enable Play Wales and the National Centre for Playwork to plan workforce strategy and develop programmes of work focussed on the needs of the sector. The research met the following objectives:

• In-depth research to support workforce development

• Investigation of the skills and knowledge shortages and gaps and deliver recommendations on ways to overcome these.

• Determine the supply and demand for training provision by level and type in Wales

• Determine the awareness of opportunities for people to become involved in training

• Provide evidence that will encourage playwork employers to invest more in training.  

Full Report     Executive Summary

Duties in Section 11 Childcare Act (2006) requires local authorities to undertake childcare sufficiency assessments that will feed into the Children and Young People’s Plans.

We have successfully completed Childcare Sufficiency Assessments in the following areas (those with hyperlinks are available to view on-line):

Follow this link to the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment pages

As part of CCW's role as a Sector Skills Council, we undertook research to to assess the extent and supply of training to the Early Years and Childcare sector in Wales to contribute to Stage 2 of their Sector Skills Agreement with the Welsh Assembly Government.

The overall question that the research sought to answer is “Are the patterns of provision and qualifications in the sector sufficient to satisfy short and long term skill needs for future competitiveness and to improve productivity? If not, where are the gaps and how can we fill them?”

Research included a comprehensive investigation into the availability and funding of training to the EYCC sector and in-depth consultation with employers across Wales to establish whether existing training was meeting their needs.

You can download a copy of the Final Report here

This project has provided the Care Council for Wales’ Workforce Development Committee with the information needed to define occupational standards and qualification requirements; and to improve the match between the needs of employers and what education and training providers deliver.

Through a a large-scale survey of both employers and practitioners, for the first time, we have been able to established the size, scope and attributes of the early years and childcare workforce in Wales.

You can download a copy of the Final Report here

Cliciwch yma er mwyn darllen 'Cwmpasu a Mapio Gweithlu'r Blynyddoedd Cynnar a Gwasanaethau Plant yng Nghymru - Adroddiad Terfynol' yn llawn. 

In 2005, we were commissioned to undertake research into the current levels of Early Years Education and Childcare provision across the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

The Audit contained findings from our research providing a statistical analysis of the major factors relating to the development of early years education in the Borough.

The research informing the Audit consisted of:

• Wide-ranging collation of existing socio-economic data from local, national and regional sources
• A postal and telephone survey of 634 childcare and early years providers
• Eighteen focus groups held across Bury with total of 168 parents participating.

The information presented in the full Audit Report will help to inform policy and strategy and assist Bury MBC in meeting its commitments under the proposals contained in the Childcare Bill.

The aim of this project was to provide Trafford MBC with a clear indication as to the current and estimated future need for childcare services for pre-school children (0 to 5 years of age) to enable the Council to take strategic decisions regarding the development of childcare services at the embryonic Old Trafford Children’s Centre.

Using existing socio-economic data we were able to identified the factors that are relevant in the development and sustainability of childcare in the area (such as BME populations, disabled children, family incomes and household structures).

We then undertook direct contact with all the childcare services identified to establish current operational capacity (as opposed to registered numbers), vacancies and size and nature of any waiting lists.

Blacon Community Trust - Review of Children and Young People’s Strategy

BCT is a community-led organisation working in an area of deprivation, providing a range of services to local children and young people. We were asked to undertake research to examine current activities and futures plans relating to children and young people within the Blacon community and assess how the Trust needs to be focused, and organised, to most effectively deliver change.

Tameside MBC - Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council wanted an independent assessment of the impact of Neighbourhood Nurseries in meeting their original aims. Through our research we were able to provide Tameside MBC with an evaluation of the impact that has been made by the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative in regenerating communities and tackling child poverty.

NNI Evaluation Report (pdf 1270kb)

Halton Borough Council - Integration of services for children, families and young people

We were asked on this project, to make detailed preparations for the integration and co-location of services in Halton including comprehensive mapping of universal and support services; identification of the potential barriers to effective integration of services; the establishment of models of good practice for service integration; development of models for corporate governance and accountability; and the dissemination of such information to service providers.

Lambeth Council - Early Years Education & Childcare Audits

We have now undertaken 3 full-scale audits in Lambeth of early years education provision and childcare services. Each audit has involved the collection of data from a wide range of sources and through consultation with service providers. Our experience of this type of work enables us to regularly present comprehensive, incisive audit reports that are accessible yet meaningful for planning and review processes.

Warrington Borough Council - Disability Research

We were commissioned to research the range of play, childcare and leisure services available to disabled children and young people in Warrington. Between October 2003 and February 2004 we gathered the views of organisations, agencies, parents and young people regarding childcare, play and leisure services in Warrington.  Our report contained the results of our research and made recommendations for development and change to strategy and services that would better meet the needs of disabled children and young people.

Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth - Teenage Pregnancy Strategy

Without a comprehensive map of current services available to teenage parents, the LSL Teenage Pregnancy Group were finding it difficult to develop their strategies. we were commissioned to undertake research into the provision of holistic support provision for young parents and to establish all current provision of education, childcare, housing, health and family support for teenage parents.

Our research involved mapping out the locations of all services provided from each borough and the network of information and resources that parents could access. We examined the different operational management and operational structures and how they were connected to provide a complete service for young parents. We looked at the different provision structures in each borough and collated information already collected by different agencies on the population of young parents across the three boroughs. Finally, we examined the services provided by different initiatives work already across the boroughs, such as Sure Start, Sure Start Plus, Health action zone, Education Standard Fund etc. to provide a comprehensive view of services across South London.