Flying Start

What is Flying Start?

Having a child is a wonderful experience, but it can also feel overwhelming. If you live in a Flying Start area and have a child aged 0-4, you can access a range of services designed to support you and your family. Our aim is to help give your child the best possible start in life.

Funded by the Welsh Government, Flying Start provides four key areas:

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 Family Support 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

Welsh Government funded childcare for 2-year-olds

From January 2027, all children 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.

Why take up funded childcare?

Closing dates for Welsh Government funded childcare for 2-year-olds

Applications 2026

If you have been sent an online application for a funded childcare placement, please note the below closing dates.

April Term 2026 - 6th February 2026

September Term 2026 - 8th May 2026

January 2027 - 9th October 2026

Attending a Welsh Government funded childcare 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 a Welsh Government funded 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

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

When applying for Welsh Government funded childcare for 2-year-olds, 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.

Welsh Medium Childcare

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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.