Decision details

The Head of Community, Wellbeing and Resilience presented the report to members outlining the progress made across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region towards the delivery of an integrated early years system as part of the Welsh Government’s Early Years Transformation Programme and the transformation of Early Years services in RCT.

Members were advised that the ambition of the Welsh Government Early Years Transformation Programme is to deliver on the vision which is set out in Prosperity for All “to create a truly joined-up, responsive system that puts the unique needs of each child at its heart”. This means every service that families and young children come into contact with being clear how they can best support child development in the broadest sense. It will target parents as early as possible and sustain support where it is needed. Investing in the early years is an investment in the economy and workforce of the future

The Cabinet Member Children’s Services commented that thanks to a new contract with Health services we are now the only Authority in Wales to offer a schedule of growing Skills screening assessment for all children aged 20 months.  This will support in identifying where early support and intervention is required and will be beneficial to RCTCBC going forward. She continued that the external evaluation has been able to evidence that families benefiting from early intervention that previously would not have been eligible.

Following consideration of the report it was RESOLVED to

1. Note the regional progress made since July 2017 in delivering the Welsh Government’s Early Years Transformation Programme.

2. Note the progress made in RCT since July 2019 in delivering transformed Early Years services in RCT and the findings of the Stage 1 external evaluation of the new delivery model being piloted.

Note that this report has been subject to pre-scrutiny by the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee on 8th December 2021 and the representations made by Committee Members are set out in section 10.7 of this report.