RCT to expand emergency childcare provision

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will expand its emergency childcare provision from the start of June – by increasing the number of hubs from 13 to 25 in response to the ever-increasing demand for key workers and vulnerable learners. 

In response to the Coronavirus national emergency, the Council has been operating 13 very successful childcare hubs, to help key workers who are parents/carers of pupils aged 4-14 in mainstream and Pupil Referral Unit settings and aged 4-19 in special school settings. This provision is in addition to the childcare offer for 0-4 year-olds delivered in a range of settings.

Key workers must reapply for the provision each week via the Council’s website, with an initial application only required for vulnerable learners.  Weekend provision is available for key workers only. The weekly application period runs from Sunday morning to Tuesday evening, for the following week’s childcare provision – and each period is promoted by the Council using its social media accounts.

From Monday, June 1, the Council will increase the number of its hubs to 25 (including 19 mainstream hubs, four special schools and two Pupil Referral Units). The full list of these hubs is included below. The application period will run from Sunday morning to Tuesday evening (May 24-26), as normal.

The changes will accommodate the increase in pupils accessing the provision – which has recently risen to an average of 420 children per day.

From June 1 there will be a hub in each of the 17 mainstream school clusters in Rhondda Cynon Taf, while emergency childcare will also be available in each of the Council’s four special schools and two Pupil Referral Units. Welsh Medium provision will be available at four of the settings and Faith provision at two hubs. Two of the hubs will also offer bi-lingual provision.

The expansion will ensure the Council can manage pupil numbers more effectively, and allow social distancing within the hubs to be achieved more easily. Travelling distances for parents/carers will also be reduced.

Councillor Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services, said: “Our 13 current childcare hubs are providing an excellent provision to help local key workers carry out their frontline roles, along with parents of vulnerable young people. The staff running these hubs have played a crucial role in the collective effort, as our communities respond together to the Coronavirus national emergency.

“I welcome the expansion of the emergency childcare provision from June 1, which will see 25 hubs operating in total – including provision in each of the 17 school cluster areas, four special schools and two Pupil Referral Units, while Welsh Medium and Faith provision will be increased. This will undoubtedly provide further help to parents and carers across the County Borough at this time.”

For more information on the emergency childcare provision, visit Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s dedicated Coronavirus advice pages at www.rctcbc.gov.uk/publichealthrct.

The full and expanded list of childcare hubs from Monday, June 1, is below:

• Aberdare Community School (pupils aged 11-14 only)
• Aberdare Park Primary School (primary school age pupils)
• Aberdare Town Church in Wales Primary School (Faith provision)
• Darran Park Primary School (primary school age pupils)
• Dolau Primary School (dual language provision)
• Ferndale Community School (pupils aged 11-14 only)
• Glenboi Community Primary School
• Gwaunmeisgyn Primary School
• Heol-y-Celyn Primary School (dual language provision)
• Porth Community School
• St Michael’s RC Primary School (Faith provision)
• Tonyrefail Community School
• Treorchy Primary School
• Trerobart Primary School
• YGG Aberdar (Welsh Medium provision only)
• YGG Llyn-y-Forwyn (Welsh Medium provision only)
• Ysgol Garth Olwg (Welsh Medium provision only)
• Ysgol Llanhari (Welsh Medium provision only)
• Ysgol Nantgwyn
• Tai Education Centre (only for current pupils of the school)
• Ty Gwyn Education Centre (only for current pupils of the school)
• Maesgwyn Special School (only for current pupils of the school)
• Park Lane Special School (only for current pupils of the school)
• Ysgol Hen Felin (only for current pupils of the school)
• Ysgol Ty Coch (only for current pupils of the school)