MS, Minister for Children and
Social Care
Today, I am pleased to be launching a consultation on
proposed changes to the National Minimum Standards
(NMS) for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12
years.
The Welsh Government is committed to supporting children in Wales
to have the best start in life and ensure they can access
high-quality childcare and play activities that meet their needs
and those of their families.
Registered childcare provision must meet regulatory requirements
and have due regard to the Childminding and Daycare
(Wales) Regulations 2010 and the National Minimum Standards
(NMS) for Regulated Childcare for children up to 12
years. The NMS are designed to assist childcare
providers to meet the regulations that are relevant to the type
of service they provide.
This consultation will help to support the delivery of high
quality, accessible childcare and play services for children and
families.
Some of the main changes being considered in the consultation
are:
- Updating the structure and layout of the NMS to a HTML
version with links to relevant regulations and best practice
guidance
- Updates to the High-quality provision chapter to further
align Early Childhood Play,
Learning and Care (ECPLC) principles within the standards
- Introducing a proportionate approach to the NMS requirements
of qualified staff and first aid training for Open Access
Playwork services, in light of recommendations from
the Ministerial Review of
Play.
- Updating NMS Standard 11 relating to Medication and the
introduction of an additional annex with guidance on
administering Liquid Paracetamol
- Clarification on effective deployment of staff across the
setting
- Introducing some flexibility on ratios for childminders, and
allowing child minders to have one additional child under 5 years
but not increase the maximum number
The benefits of undertaking this review and consultation allow
Welsh Government to consider the NMS critically with a wide
audience, ensuring that standards are continuously improved, and
are fit for purpose in supporting the childcare and play sector
to deliver quality services.
We have worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders to
understand the current challenges childcare and play providers
face when implementing the NMS in practice. Stakeholder
engagement has also been instrumental in developing the proposed
changes. Their input has supported and guided this work, and I am
grateful to all who have contributed to the process.
Further detail about the changes being proposed are set out in
the Consultation
Documents.
The consultation will be open until 10 December
2025.
Feedback from the consultation will help to ensure the NMS
supports the childcare and play work sector through the provision
of clear guidance to meet the relevant requirements of
regulations. All responses will be analysed and a summary
published in Spring 2026.
