Funded childcare for all two-year-olds to reach 19 of Wales's 22 councils by end of November

Funded childcare for all two-year-olds will be available in 19 of Wales's 22 local authorities by the end of November, up from three in May, the Welsh Government announced on Wednesday 4 November. All 22 are on track to offer it by the end of March.

What families get

The offer is 12.5 hours of funded childcare a week for every two-year-old. The government says it will rise to 20 hours a week for 48 weeks of the year before being extended to younger children.

The bigger plan

It is the first phase of a programme to offer funded childcare to all children aged nine months to four years by the end of this Senedd term. The government attributes the progress to a £55 million investment this year.

What they said

Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams said: "When we took office in May, only three local authorities were offering funded childcare to all two-year-olds. Just six months later, 19 local authorities will have delivered the offer by the end of this month, with the remaining three on track to do so by the end of March." She was due to visit nurseries in Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, where Rhondda Cynon Taf families have had access since September.

What is not yet known

The announcement does not name the three councils still to start.