Coram PACEY Cymru has launched their manifesto for childminders in advance of the May 2026 Senedd elections.
Coram PACEY Cymru call for urgent government action to address the drastically continuing decline in childminder numbers in Wales outlining a series of policy recommendations to support the sector.
Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) figures show that between March 2018 and September 2025 the number of registered childminders in Wales decreased year on year, with around 807 fewer settings in March 2018 compared to September 2025 (a 37% decrease)[1]. The decline in the number of registered childminders has a significant impact on childcare availability and accessibility, and threatens the statutory responsibility placed on Local Authorities to secure provision of childcare for children and families.
Recommendations at a glance
- Urgent action to fund a universal, national programme to support prospective childminders through the pre-registration process, ensuring accessibility and consistency.
- Enable childminder delivery of all childcare and early education funded programmes including Flying Start and Nursery Education.
- Take forward proposals for changes to ratios for childminders to support continuity of care for children, parental choice of provision and sustainability of services.
- Review and implement funding systems that are fair, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of all children, families, and childcare providers.
- Establish a coordinated, national framework to streamline and clarify local planning, commercial waste, and environmental health requirements for childminders—removing inconsistencies and reducing regulatory barriers.
Claire Protheroe, Head of Contracts and Projects for Coram PACEY Cymru, who leads Coram PACEY’s work in Wales stated:
“The childminding sector in Wales is in a precarious state of fragility. Many childminders, including those in disadvantaged areas, are facing closure due to rising operational costs, increased demands around regulatory requirements and inconsistent access to deliver funded provision. In addition, barriers to becoming a childminder, including costs associated with training and registration have prevented or deterred some individuals from becoming a childminder and therefore contributed to the low number of new childminder registrations recorded. We believe without further action in these areas the number of childminders will continue to decline and call for urgent government action to address these challenges.”
Read the manifesto here
For any queries please contact cymru@corampacey.org.uk
[1] Microsoft Power BI
Mae Coram PACEY Cymru wedi lansio eu maniffesto ar gyfer gofalwyr plant cyn etholiadau Senedd Mehefin 2026.
Mae Coram PACEY Cymru yn galw ar gamau brys gan y llywodraeth i fynd i'r afael â'r gostyngiad parhaus a dramatig yn y nifer o ofalwyr plant yng Nghymru, gan amlinellu cyfres o argymhellion polisi i gefnogi'r sector gwarchod plant.
Mae ffigurau Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGC) yn dangos bod nifer y gwarchodwyr plant cofrestredig wedi gostwng o un flwyddyn i'r llall rhwng mis Mawrth 2018 a mis Medi 2025, gyda thua 807 yn llai o leoliadau ym mis Medi 2025 o'i gymharu â mis Mawrth 2018 (gostyngiad o 37%).[1] Mae'r gostyngiad yn niferoedd y gwarchodwyr plant cofrestredig yn cael effaith sylweddol ar argaeledd a hygyrchedd gofal plant, ac yn bygwth y cyfrifoldeb statudol sydd ar Awdurdodau Lleol i sicrhau darpariaeth gofal plant i blant a heuluoedd.
Cipolwg ar yr argymhellion
- Ariannu rhaglen gyffredinol, genedlaethol i gefnogi darpar warchodwyr plant drwy'r broses cyn-gofrestru, gan sicrhau hygyrchedd a chysondeb.
- Galluogi darpariaeth gwarchodwyr plant o holl raglenni wedi'u hariannu gofal plant a blynyddoedd cynnar, gan gynnwys Dechrau'n Deg ac Addysg Feithrin.
- Symud ymlaen â chynigion ar gyfer newidiadau i gymarebau gwarchodwyr plant i gefnogi parhad gofal i blant, dewis rhieni o ddarpariaeth a chynaliadwyedd gwasanaethau.
- Adolygu a gweithredu systemau ariannu sy'n deg, yn gynaliadwy, ac yn ymatebol i anghenion pob plentyn, teulu, a darparwr gofal plant.
- Sefydlu fframwaith cenedlaethol, cydlynol i symleiddio ac egluro gofynion cynllunio, gwastraff masnachol, ac iechyd amgylcheddol lleol i warchodwyr plant – gan ddileu anghysondebau a lleihau rhwystrau rheoliadol.
Dywedodd Claire Protheroe, Pennaeth Contractau a Phrosiectau ar gyfer Coram PACEY Cymru, sy'n arwain gwaith Coram PACEY yng Nghymru:
“Mae'r sector gwarchod plant yng Nghymru mewn cyflwr ansicr o fregusrwydd. Mae llawer o warchodwyr plant, gan gynnwys y rhai mewn ardaloedd difreintiedig, yn wynebu cau oherwydd costau gweithredu cynyddol, galw cynyddol o ran gofynion rheoleiddiol a mynediad anghyson i ddarparu darpariaeth a ariennir. Mae rhwystrau i ddod yn warchodwr plant, gan gynnwys costau sy'n gysylltiedig â hyfforddiant a chofrestru wedi atal neu ddigalonni rhai unigolion rhag dod yn warchodwyr plant ac felly wedi cyfrannu at ostyngiad cynyddol y nifer o gofrestriadau gwarchodwyr plant newydd sy'n cael eu cofnodi. Credwn, heb gamau pellach yn y meysydd hyn, bydd nifer y gofalwyr plant yn parhau i ostwng, ac rydym yn galw am gamau brys gan y llywodraeth i fynd i’r afael â’r heriau hyn.”
Darllenwch y maniffesto yma here
Am unrhyw ymholiadau cysylltwch â cymru@corampacey.org.uk
[1] Microsoft Power BI
