Dawn Bowden 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.