In January 2026 we opened applications for a small grant to support continuous professional development (cpd) opportunities for Coram PACEY members in Wales. This opportunity was supported by funding from Welsh Government and the Moondance Foundation. The application window closed in February 2026. 24 members were successful in their applications for funding.
In this blog Kate Wright a childminder from north Wales talks to Coram PACEY Cymru about the benefits of accessing the funding and the impact on children in her care.
Tell us about yourself and your childminding service
My name is Kate Wright and I am a childminder in North Wales. I run a bilingual setting on the Denbighshire and Conwy border and support lots of rural families in the area. My background is in teaching, and I have worked both in the UK and overseas in places such as Finland and the Falkland Islands. These experiences have really shaped me as a person and influenced my ethos as a childminder. I run a setting that loves the outdoors and sees it as an ever-changing environment for children to explore, play and be curious in. I think it’s important to follow each child’s interests and to scaffold their learning by introducing resources, asking questions and entering into conversations.
How did you hear about the Development Grant?
The Development Grant was introduced to me during a Coram PACEY Cymru forum, followed by further information via email. It was the first time I had come across funding that would give me some choice about the professional development I wanted to undertake. I was therefore very keen to research potential courses or online learning that I felt would be interesting, helpful and would encourage reflection on my setting.
What did you use the Development Grant for?
I used the funding towards an NSPCC course: Trauma and child development training – understanding the science behind child brain development.
I wanted to deepen my understanding of how trauma can affect children’s development and behaviour, and how that knowledge can improve the support I offer in my setting.
It was fascinating. A wonderfully delivered course, great delegates, loads of opportunities to share, learn, discuss and reflect. It was an intensive day, but I took so much from the session.
What impact has the funding had on you?
At first, based on the pre-course material, I thought I was quite familiar with the topic, having experience in teaching, foster caring and working in childcare and early years for many years. However, the day felt like unravelling an onion—exploring deeper layers of knowledge, science and research—which really captured me and made me think more deeply about the metaphors being used to explain the types of trauma that can occur.
None of the metaphors were new or complicated, yet they prompted rich discussion, sharing of ideas, consideration of case studies and reflection. The fellow attendees were extremely like-minded and shared many helpful examples and ideas, and I feel lucky to have been able to access the course. It has made me think carefully about the children I work with and how vital it is to have good communication with parents and carers, and to build up a fuller picture of the child when they are not at my setting. The more you know about them, the better the care you can provide.
What impact has the funding had on the children in your care?
The training has had a positive impact on the children in my care because it has helped me look even more closely at behaviour, emotional regulation and individual needs. It has reinforced the importance of understanding each child’s background, experiences and stage of development so that I can respond in a more sensitive and informed way. In practice, this means creating an environment where children feel safe, understood and supported, and where their needs can be met even more effectively through strong relationships with both the child and their family.
What have you changed in your practice since attending the training?
I will definitely be finding out more information about children before they attend and adjusting my ‘all about me’ form for parents and carers to fill in.
I want to encourage families to use our app more so that they start sharing activities and interacting more, which helps me build a better understanding of the child outside of the setting.
I am also more mindful of how children may communicate their needs through behaviour, and I am reflecting more carefully on how I respond in those moments so that children feel supported and secure.
I also want to be available to support others if they know of a child dealing with trauma. One key message from the training was the importance of cascading the learning to colleagues, families and the wider community, as its impact is far-reaching.
Why should childminders apply for funding like this?
If you get the chance to apply for funding to enhance your setting or develop your professional learning, I would say go for it. There are so many courses out there to choose from that it can feel a bit daunting, but asking others at forums or in social media groups is a really good way of getting recommendations. Looking at what interests you, or what would support your cohort of children, is a good starting point. From there, you can see where it takes you and what doors it might open.
Further information
Keep an eye on the Coram PACEY website and enewsletters to members for other grant funded opportunities.
Supporting resources
Supporting children through trauma
Managing feelings & behaviour
CEY Smart courses:
Child Development: Supporting children's emotional wellbeing
Child Development: Focus on bereavement
Child Development: Supporting the development of self-regulation skills
Partnership Working: An introduction to supporting children through trauma
Partnership Working: Focus on separation and divorce
Ym mis Ionawr 2026 fe wnaethon ni agor ceisiadau ar gyfer grant bach i gefnogi cyfleoedd datblygu proffesiynol parhaus (DPP) i aelodau Coram PACEY yng Nghymru. Cefnogwyd y cyfle hwn gan gyllid Llywodraeth Cymru a Moondance Foundation. Caeodd y ffenestr ymgeisio ym mis Chwefror 2026. Bu 24 aelod yn llwyddiannus yn eu ceisiadau am gyllid.
Yn y blog hwn mae Kate Williams, gwarchodwr plant o Ogledd Cymru yn siarad â Coram PACEY Cymru am fanteision cael y cyllid a'r effaith ar blant yn ei gofal.
Dywedwch wrthym amdanoch chi a'ch gwasanaeth gwarchod plant
Fy enw i yw Kate Wright a dw i'n warchodwr plant yng Ngogledd Cymru. Dw i'n rhedeg gwasanaeth dwyieithog ar ffin Sir Ddinbych a Conwy ac yn cefnogi llawer o deuluoedd gwledig yn yr ardal. Mae fy nghefndir mewn addysgu a dw i wedi gweithio yn y DU a thramor mewn lleoedd megis y Ffindir ac Ynysoedd Falkland. Mae'r profiadau hyn wedi fy siapo i fel person ac wedi dylanwadu ar fy ethos fel gwarchodwr plant. Dw i'n rhedeg lleoliad sy'n dwlu ar yr awyr agored ac sy'n ei weld fel amgylchedd sy'n newid yn barhaus i blant ei archwilio, a chwarae a bod yn chwilfrydig ynddo. Dw i'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig dilyn diddordebau pob plentyn a sgaffaldio eu dysgu drwy gyflwyno adnoddau, gofyn cwestiynau a dechrau sgyrsiau.
Sut glywsoch chi am y Grant Datblygu?
Cyflwynwyd y Grant Datblygu i mi yn ystod fforwm Coram PACEY Cymru, ac yna cefais ragor o wybodaeth drwy e-bost. Dyma'r tro cyntaf i mi ddod ar draws cyllid a fyddai'n rhoi rhywfaint o ddewis i mi ynglŷn â'r datblygiad proffesiynol roeddwn i eisiau ei ymgymryd ag ef. Felly roeddwn i'n awyddus iawn i ymchwilio i gyrsiau neu ddysgu ar-lein posib a fyddai'n ddiddorol, yn ddefnyddiol ac yn annog myfyrio ar fy lleoliad.
Beth ddefnyddioch chi'r Grant Datblygu ar ei gyfer?
Defnyddiais i'r cyllid tuag at gwrs NSPCC: Hyfforddiant trawma a datblygiad plant – deall y wyddoniaeth y tu ôl i ddatblygiad ymennydd plant.
Roeddwn i eisiau dyfnhau fy nealltwriaeth o sut y gall trawma effeithio ar ddatblygiad ac ymddygiad plant, a sut y gall y wybodaeth honno wella'r gefnogaeth rwy'n ei chynnig yn fy lleoliad.
Roedd yn hynod ddiddorol. Roedd y cwrs wedi'i gyflwyno'n dda iawn gyda chynrychiolwyr gwych a llwyth o gyfleoedd i rannu, dysgu, trafod a myfyrio. Roedd yn ddiwrnod dwys, ond dysgais i lawer yn y sesiwn.
Pa effaith mae'r cyllid wedi'i chael arnoch chi?
I ddechrau, ar sail y deunyddiau cefais cyn y cwrs, roeddwn i'n meddwl fy mod i'n eithaf cyfarwydd â'r pwnc, gyda phrofiad o addysgu, gofal maeth a gweithio mewn gofal plant a'r blynyddoedd cynnar ers blynyddoedd lawer. Fodd bynnag, roedd y diwrnod yn teimlo fel plicio haenau nionyn—gan archwilio haenau dyfnach o wybodaeth, gwyddoniaeth ac ymchwil—a wnaeth fy niddori'n fawr a gwneud i mi feddwl yn ddyfnach am y trosiadau a ddefnyddiwyd i esbonio'r mathau o drawma a all ddigwydd.
Nid oedd yr un o'r trosiadau yn newydd nac yn gymhleth, ond fe wnaethant ysgogi trafodaeth gyfoethog, rhannu syniadau, ystyried astudiaethau achos a myfyrio. Roedd fy nghyd-fynychwyr yn hynod o debyg eu meddylfryd ac fe wnaethant rannu llawer o enghreifftiau a syniadau defnyddiol, a dw i'n teimlo'n ffodus fy mod wedi gallu cael mynediad at y cwrs. Mae wedi gwneud i mi feddwl yn ofalus am y plant dw i'n gweithio gyda nhw a pha mor hanfodol yw cael cyfathrebu da gyda rhieni a gofalwyr, ac i lunio darlun mwy cyflawn o'r plentyn pan nad ydyn nhw yn fy lleoliad i. Po fwyaf rydych chi'n ei wybod amdanyn nhw, y gorau yw'r gofal y gallwch chi ei ddarparu.
Pa effaith mae'r cyllid wedi'i chael ar y plant yn eich gofal?
Mae'r hyfforddiant wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol ar y plant yn fy ngofal oherwydd ei fod wedi fy helpu i edrych yn agosach fyth ar ymddygiad, rheoleiddio emosiynol ac anghenion unigol. Mae wedi atgyfnerthu pwysigrwydd deall cefndir, profiadau a cham datblygu pob plentyn fel y gallaf ymateb mewn ffordd fwy sensitif a gwybodus. Yn ymarferol, mae hyn yn golygu creu amgylchedd lle mae plant yn teimlo'n ddiogel, eu bod yn cael eu deall a'u cefnogi, a lle gellir diwallu eu hanghenion hyd yn oed yn fwy effeithiol drwy berthnasau cryd â'r plentyn a'i deulu.
Beth ydych chi wedi'i newid yn eich ymarfer ers mynychu'r hyfforddiant.
Byddaf yn sicr yn dysgu rhagor o wybodaeth am blant cyn iddynt fynychu ac yn addasu fy ffurflen 'amdanaf i' i rieni a gofalwyr ei llenwi.
Dw i eisiau annog teuluoedd i ddefnyddio ein hap mwy fel eu bod yn dechrau rhannu gweithgareddau a rhyngweithio mwy, sy'n fy helpu i feithrin dealltwriaeth well o'r plentyn y tu allan i'r lleoliad.
Dw i hefyd yn fwy ymwybodol o sut y gall plant gyfleu eu hanghenion drwy ymddygiad, a dwi'n myfyrio'n fwy gofalus ar sut dw i'n ymateb yn yr adegau hynny fel bod plant yn teimlo'n ddiogel a'u bod yn cael eu cefnogi.
Dw i hefyd eisiau bod ar gael i gefnogi eraill os ydynt yn ymwybodol o blentyn sy'n delio â thrawma. Un neges allweddol o'r hyfforddiant oedd pwysigrwydd rhaeadru'r dysgu i gydweithwyr, teuluoedd a'r gymuned ehangach, gan fod yr effaith yn bellgyrhaeddol.
Pam ddylai gwarchodwyr plant wneud cais am gyllid fel hyn?
Os cewch chi'r cyfle i wneud cais am gyllid i wella'ch lleoliad neu ddatblygu'ch dysgu proffesiynol, byddwn i'n dweud ewch amdani. Mae cynifer o gyrsiau ar gael i ddewis o'u plith y gall teimlo braidd yn llethol, ond mae holi eraill mewn fforymau neu grwpiau'r cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn ffordd wych o gael argymhellion. Mae edrych ar yr hyn sydd o ddiddordeb i chi, neu'r hyn a fyddai'n cefnogi'ch carfan o blant, yn fan cychwyn da. O'r fan honno, gallwch weld i ble mae'n mynd â chi a pha ddrysau y gallai eu hagor.
Gwybodaeth bellach
Cadwch lygad ar wefan ac e-gylchlythyrau Coram PACEY i aelodau ar gyfer cyfleoedd eraill a ariennir gan grantiau.
Adnoddau ategol
Cefnogi plant drwy drawma
Rheoli teimladau ac ymddygiad
Cyrsiau CEY Smart:
Datblygiad Plant: Cefnogi lles emosiynol plant
Datblygiad Plant: Ffocws ar brofedigaeth
Datblygiad Plant: Cefnogi datblygiad sgiliau hunanreoleiddio
Gweithio mewn Partneriaeth: Cyflwyniad i gefnogi plant drwy drawma
Gweithio mewn Partneriaeth: Ffocws ar wahanu ac ysgaru
