Flying Start

What is Flying Start?

Bringing a child into the world is the most precious gift but it can also be very daunting. If you live in a Flying Start area and you have a child between the ages of 0-4 years old, you can benefit from a number of services to help you and your family. We are here to support you to give your child the best possible start in life.

Flying Start is funded by the Welsh Government and consists of 4 main elements:

Enhanced Health Visiting Service

The Flying Start Health Team will offer extra support and advice throughout pregnancy and the first years of your child’s life.

Our Health Team will be able to offer help and support in a range of areas such as:

• Support throughout pregnancy and caring for your new baby
• Breast feeding advice and support
• Weaning advice
• Home safety checks and advice to make sure your home is baby friendly

We also have a team of:

• Midwives
• Mental Health Nurses
• Clinical Psychologists
• Community Health Nursery Nurses

All there to offer support and advice if you need it.

You can contact the Health Visiting Service via their new central phone line 01633 431 685 to be put in touch with their teams throughout Gwent.

Support for your child’s speech, language and communication

Supporting children’s language and communication development is a core aim of the Flying Start.

Developing speech and language skills are key in supporting a child to reach their full potential. Early identification of any difficulties is pivotal as research into brain development which has shown that the first three years of a child’s life are crucial to the development of good language & communication skills.

The Flying Start Early Language Development team, who are supported by Speech and Language Therapists, run a variety of groups to help parents to develop their child’s communication skills. Most of these sessions are carried out before your child is due to attend childcare.

Access to Parenting Groups

Being a parent can bring joy and happiness as well as challenges, at times. Flying Start Parenting Team work alongside families to have the best outcomes for their babies and children. We offer a variety of parenting groups and courses for ages 0-7 to:

• Improve parenting confidence and skills
• Nurture wellbeing and resilience
• Strengthen relationships

Childcare

All children living in a Flying Start area in Torfaen are entitled to a funded childcare place from the term following their second birthday up until the end of the term that they turn three and are eligible for an Early Years Education place.

Attending a Flying Start setting can add to what you already do at home to help your child learn and develop to their full potential. Early learning makes a BIG difference to the way children develop and go on to learn throughout their lives.

What will my child learn at in Flying Start Childcare?

• Play/socialise with other children of a similar age
• Try new things
• Practise new skills
• Enjoy a range of play activities
• Take turns and share
• Be in a language rich environment

Flying Start childcare is offered in a variety of types – playgroups, day nurseries, childminders and in Welsh and English.

Click here for a list of Flying Start settings across Torfaen

When applying for Flying Start funded childcare via QR code, please be aware that some settings may not yet appear available for selection. If your preferred setting is not visible, call 01495 742 943 to confirm your choice of setting.

Why take up Flying Start?

Welsh Medium Childcare

How to access Flying Start

To be eligible your child must be living in a Flying Start postcode.

This must be:

• the child’s main home address,
• the address to which their Child Benefit is paid, and
• the address registered with the child’s health visitor

The address used cannot be:

• that of another relative, such as a grandparent
• a childminder or other care provider

For any general queries about Flying Start or to check if you are eligible, please contact the Family Information Service on Freephone 0800 0196 330.

Find us on Facebook: @Torfaen Flying Start

Torfaen Flying Start is committed to protecting your privacy when you use our services. The Early Years Privacy Notice detailing how we use information about you and how we protect your privacy can be found here.