Child development is at the heart of the Welsh Government’s early childhood play, learning and care policies and provision.
On 30th June 2023 the Welsh Government published a suite of documents to support their vision of high-quality Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care (ECPLC) in Wales:
- A Quality Framework for Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales
- Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care in Wales: A Reflective Practice Toolkit
- Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care: Developmental Pathways for 0-3
These documents have been developed by practitioners, for practitioners for all childcare and play settings and schools in Wales to support quality provision for all babies and young children in Wales.
All of these align with the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare in Wales and the Curriculum for Wales.
Each of these documents should be used alongside each other to help practitioners plan meaningful experiences which are responsive to babies and very young children’s developing needs and interests. The suite of support materials should ensure practitioners offer well-evidenced, well-informed, and successful approaches to early childhood play, learning and care. They are aimed to help practitioners actively reflect on and continuously improve practice to better help all babies and young children to grow and develop.
These documents will remain in draft for the next year as the Welsh Government engages with the widest possible range of practitioners. The Welsh Government intends to publish final versions in June 2024.
