Sessional care (Cylch Meithrin - Welsh medium playgroups)
You will work in a setting where children are offered play and learning experiences through the medium of Welsh, whilst also providing valuable help and support to families from non-Welsh speaking backgrounds who have the desire to learn Welsh.
Cylchoedd Meithrin usually operates from community centres, schools or church buildings and offer sessional care for children aged between 2 and 5 years. Cylchoedd Meithrin playgroups operate for 2 to 3 hours in the morning and/or afternoon mainly during term time.
Please be aware that where two sessions are offered in any one day, children must not attend more than five sessions per week and there must be a break between sessions with no children in the care of the provider.
A Cylch Meithrin is run by a voluntary management group which all parents will be invited to attend.
Managing the Cylch Meithrin - Welsh medium playgroup
The person in charge (arweinydd/leader) must:
- have at least 2 years experience of working in a day care setting and have a recognised level 3 childcare qualification from the Care Council for Wales National Qualifications Framework (NNEB, CACHE Diploma in Childcare, NVQ/QCF Level 3 or equivalent).
Future changes to the national minimum standards for regulated childcare
Advance notice of changes of staffing qualification requirements from September 2021. The changes relate to standards 13.6 (DC) and 13.7 (DC) Day Care, and concern the qualifications required for persons in charge and non-supervisory staff in regulated childcare and play services for children ages 0 to 12 years.
The temporary amendment to standard 13.6 (DC) about qualification requirements for persons in charge of holiday play schemes has also been formalised. There are no changes to the current requirements for childminders, nor for registered childcare services caring for children under the age of 8 years old.
The requirements have been agreed in conjunction with Social Care Wales and SkillsActive, the sector skills councils covering the childcare and play sectors in Wales. The lead-in time for the childcare and play workforces to attain the required play qualifications has been set at September 2021.
More detail is available on the Social Care Wales list of required qualifications to work within early years and childcare in Wales, and the SkillsActive list of required qualifications to work within the playwork sector in Wales. Providers can view the circular letter issued by Welsh Government earlier this year.
The staff:
- all of the staff must be Welsh speaking;
- at least 50% of the staff should hold a level 2 childcare qualification from the National Qualifications Framework. Where this cannot be achieved immediately, the responsible person will set out an action plan detailing how they intend to meet the criterion and agree a timescale by which it will be achieved. The Care Inspectorate Wales (opens new window) will consider the plan and offer their approval or indicate aspects that need improvement;
- all staff must undergo a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS).
All groups are members of the Mudiad Meithrin (opens new window) who can offer help, support and guidance as well as the opportunity for unqualified staff to access Mudiad Meithrin's National Training Scheme Cam wrth Gam (opens new window) in order to gain Level 3 QCF Children's Care Learning and Development. For more information please contact the MM Development Officer (opens new window).