When the National Assembly for Wales was created in 1999, central Government had recently published a ground-breaking National Childcare Strategy. That strategy recognised the need for a step change in the avalability of childcare - for children, for parents and the economy. It recognised that childcare needed to be locally accessible, affordable and of good quality, and introduced partnership between the local Government, childcare providers and other agencies to plan for an expansion in childcare.
In 2001, the Government decided to review the strategy. Following this the Childcare Action Plan was published in 2002 which sets out the perspective that children should be at the heart of Childcare policy in Wales.
In 2004 the Government formed a new Childcare Working Group in order to build on the implementation of the principles of the Childcare Action Plan. The Group provided a substantial report with 77 recommendations. This Strategy document is the Governments response to that report.
click here for the full report.