4. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Services: Childcare Offer for Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:39 pm on 15 November 2022.

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Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour 3:39, 15 November 2022

Thank you very much for your report. I think one of the important things that you highlighted is that almost one in 10 parents accessing the childcare offer said that they wouldn't be able to work if it wasn't for the offer. And that's absolutely correct, because childcare is just far too expensive compared with the wages that most people can command. This is very much a work in progress for all of us, but I fully acknowledge the dedication and the passion that you put into this task, and we have to keep going.

One of the things I'd like to ask, which I wondered if you'd discuss with your colleagues, is that in the NHS the biggest challenge that they have is filling vacancies. One of the reasons that they can't fill the vacancies is because of the lack of childcare. Nurses, in particular, would struggle to work if they didn't have childcare. I just wondered if there's any consideration by the Government of thinking of offering free childcare to anybody who's working in the national health service.

Secondly, I just want to highlight the issue of accessibility. I agree with Gareth on some things, on the importance of ensuring that information is available in person as well as digitally, but it has to be accurate information. I was recalling the recommendation that the Equality and Social Justice Committee made around this issue earlier this year on the need to develop a one-stop-shop information service, so that parents could search whatever is available, depending on where they live. You referred us to the family information service, and for Cardiff that's provided by Cardiff Family Advice and Support—