Childcare in Carmarthenshire is at risk if proposed school closures go ahead, with early years leaders warning of a lack of "joined-up thinking" between the council and Welsh Government over expanding early years provision.
Carmarthenshire council is consulting on the possible closure of four Welsh-medium primary schools: Ysgol Blaenau, Ysgol Pontiets, Ysgol Carwe, and Ysgol Bancffosfelen. The authority has voted in favour of a formal consultation recommending they close at the end of December 2027. Campaigners are fighting the closures, while warnings have now been issued about the impact on nursery-age children.
Early Years Leaders Raise Concerns
Letters from Catrin Edwards and Dave Goodger, chief executives of Mudiad Meithrin and Early Years Wales respectively, have both issued warnings. Mr Goodger said supporting Cylchoedd and Cylch Meithrin Bancffosfelen "is central to ensuring accessible, local provision" but there are concerns about the impact if schools are closed.
The letter from Early Years Wales reads: "Childcare is an essential component of working families' lives and whilst the economic driver to bring schools together works for older children, having local community provision that is trusted, with a workforce committed to their community is what ensures parental confidence in placing their babies, toddlers, and pre-school children in a setting.
"When schools close, the provision in rural communities for a building and location that fulfils the requirements of the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare is under threat; often alternative provision to the space on school sites simply does not exist."
The letter adds that access is further complicated when neighbouring Cylchoedd have waiting lists already, which will only increase with displaced children adding to the pressure and additional births during this Senedd term. It states: "The aspiration of the Welsh Government is to increase Welsh language childcare; proposed school closures that do not consider this as an important theme neglect to understand the required joined-up thinking that the government policies rely on."
Governors Warn of Community Impact
In her letter, Dr Edwards said it must be "recognised that Welsh-medium childcare is an integral part of a single ecosystem, and that national ambitions to expand such provision cannot be realized without safeguarding the capacity that already exists within local communities".
Andrew Barlow, chair of governors at Ysgol Bancffosfelen, said: "Things could get worse in Carmarthenshire." If the school closes, he said it "raises serious questions about the future of the village's cylch meithrin, which is currently located on the school site". He said the equivalent in Pontyberem is already at capacity.
Tudur Jones, chair of governors for the Carwe, Gwynfryn, and Pont-henri Federation, said: "If there is no provision within the local community, and parents are forced to travel to access childcare, there is no guarantee – once they are in the car – that they will choose Welsh-medium providers.
"Furthermore, with the loss of village schools, there is a significant risk that many children from the Cwm will fail to integrate into the Welsh-speaking community. In truth, we are still dumbfounded that the council is actually serious about these plans." Elin Cullen, chair of governors at Ysgol Pontiets, said the plans "will cause to the Welsh language".
Government Expansion Plans
The warnings come after the CEO of Mudiad Meithrin expressed concern about the proposed expansion of childcare in Wales. Dr Edwards said she was worried that many parents would choose English language childcare if provision in Welsh was not available locally to them.
On Thursday the Welsh Government announced 19 councils will offer 12.5 hours of free childcare for all two-year-olds by the end of November and gave an update on its plans. Within the paperwork, Welsh-medium childcare is described as an "integral" part of those plans. Dr Edwards told the BBC: "We know that convenience is the main reason for choosing childcare. Therefore, the provision of Welsh-language care must be convenient and there must be more Welsh-medium nurseries in every area."
A Carmarthenshire council spokesman said: "The council fully recognises the importance of high-quality, accessible Welsh-medium childcare and early years provision within our communities. The potential impact of the proposals on existing Cylch Meithrin and other early years provision has been identified within the consultation documents and will form part of the consideration of the proposals. No final decisions have been taken.
"The purpose of the consultation is to ensure that the views and evidence of families, communities, Mudiad Meithrin, early years providers and other stakeholders can be fully considered before any decision is made. Where a proposal could affect existing provision, the council will work closely with the relevant providers and partners to explore appropriate alternative arrangements, with the aim of maintaining access to sustainable Welsh-medium childcare and early years opportunities."
A Welsh Government spokesman said: "We know how important schools are to rural communities, and any proposals affecting rural schools must be considered carefully, with full regard to their educational, language and community impact, including the impact on early years provision.
"The School Organisation Code which guides local authorities' decisions makes special arrangements in regard to rural schools, with a presumption against their closure. This does not mean that a rural school will never close, but the case for closure must be strong and all viable alternatives to closure must have been conscientiously considered by the proposer.
"Welsh-medium childcare is integral to our plans for expanding funded childcare, and we have established a dedicated workstream to deliver more Welsh-medium provision. We are working with local authorities and partners, including Mudiad Meithrin, to expand Welsh-medium childcare alongside the wider expansion of funded childcare, including investing £3.3m in Mudiad Meithrin's qualifications programme between 2026 and 2029."
