Welsh Government funded childcare for children aged 2 to 3 years in Anglesey
All families on Anglesey can apply for funded childcare for 2-year-olds. This is part of Welsh Government's childcare programme.
This applies to children from the term after their second birthday.
The programme offers 12.5 hours of funded childcare every week. The 12.5 hours must be spread over 5 days during school term time. This means you can only claim 2.5 hours for every day your child attends the childcare setting.
You can pay privately for extra hours.
Important: Under the new universal offer, funded hours can only be claimed from 2 November 2026 onwards, and only with providers approved by Isle of Anglesey County Council. Families must choose a provider from the approved list to receive the funded hours.
Existing postcodes already included within the expansion will continue to be funded during this time.
Approved childcare providers
Funding is only available through childcare providers that have been approved by Isle of Anglesey County Council.
You are responsible for choosing a provider not Isle of Anglesey County Council.
Application process
Important: You must check your chosen provider’s capacity before submitting your application.
- Enter your postcode into the postcode checker in this page.
- Apply through the online application system.
- Provide evidence (for example, child’s birth certificate and utility bill or Council Tax bill ) and any required forms.
- Wait for confirmation (usually within 15 working days).
- Choose a setting under the approved tab. Isle of Anglesey County Council will confirm your chosen provider, and you must show this to your chosen provider.
Eligibility
Your child is eligible to start a funded placement the term following their second birthday.
Your child will remain eligible until the end of the term following their third birthday. After this, they may move on to other childcare or early education offers such as the Childcare Offer for Wales.
You can check Anglesey school term dates on this website.
Eligibility for 2-year-old childcare
| Child's second birthday | They are eligible to start | When you can make the application |
|---|
| September to December |
January (spring term) |
Between September and December |
| January to March |
Easter term (April start) |
Between January and March |
| April to July |
September (autumn term) |
Between April and August |
Enter your postcode
From September 2026, all Anglesey postcodes will be eligible. The checker will still help us process your application as you will need to provide evidence.
Evidence you will need to submit your application
To process your application, you must provide:
- your child's birth certificate (this is the only proof of your child's identity that we accept)
- proof of address in the form of:
- a utility bill dated within the last 3 months, or
- a Council Tax bill for the current financial year
The funded hours can only be used with approved childcare providers in Anglesey.
Apply with your postcode
Check the capacity of your chosen childcare provider
You must check the provider’s capacity before submitting your application.
Funding can only start once a confirmed start date has been agreed with a provider who has space available and approved by Isle of Anglesey County Council.
Isle of Anglesey County Council cannot accept any backdated applications for 2-year-old childcare.
If your preferred provider is full, you will need to choose another approved provider from the list.
Splitting your childcare between 2 settings
You can split your funded hours between two approved settings. This option will be available when you make your application, so you can choose the arrangement that works best for your family.
What happens during school holidays
The funded hours are for 39 weeks a year during school term time. You will need to arrange and pay for any extra childcare during school holidays.
Changing your childcare provider
You can change your childcare provider later, but only to another approved provider.
If you decide to move your child:
- you the parent / carer must make the Supporting Families Unit aware of the change
- the new childcare setting must inform us of the agreed start date, and
- your existing provider must also notify us that your child is leaving their setting
Information for childcare providers
The offer provides 12.5 hours of funded childcare per week, delivered over 5 days (2.5 hours per day) during school term time (39 weeks).
Children become eligible from the term after their second birthday. Only approved providers can deliver the funded hours.
This is a universal offer for all 2‑year‑olds living in Anglesey. Families can only access funded hours through providers formally approved by Isle of Anglesey County Council.
Families apply through the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s online application system.
The system opens in the term the child turns 2 and guides parents through required information and documents. Providers will be visible on the approved list for families to select.
Funding can only start once the family has submitted an approved online application through Isle of Anglesey County Council’s online system.
Providers cannot begin claiming funded hours until Isle of Anglesey County Council has confirmed that the family’s application is approved, and a start date has been agreed.
Families may split their funded hours between two approved providers.
Both providers must ensure accurate attendance records and communicate start dates clearly.
Once a child’s application is approved:
- the family should contact the provider, prior to the online application to ensure capacity
- the provider confirms the child’s start date with the Supporting Families Unit at Isle of Anglesey County Council
- funding is paid directly to the provider
Providers must maintain accurate registers and follow all reporting requirements.
The funded offer covers term time only (39 weeks).
Any holiday childcare is private and chargeable to families.
The 2.5 hours must be delivered over 5 days. Condensing or altering the daily entitlement is not allowed.
Only approved providers can deliver funded hours.
This is because providers must meet requirements relating to:
- quality of care
- staff qualifications
- Flying Start childcare guidance standards
- tender specification compliance
Non‑approved providers cannot claim 2‑year‑old childcare funding.
If your setting has no capacity, families must choose another approved provider.
Families should contact your setting before submitting the online application so that you can confirm whether you have space available.
Families can change providers but only to another approved provider.
If a child moves:
- the parent/carer must notify the Supporting Families Unit at Isle of Anglesey County Council
- the new provider must inform us of the agreed start date, and
- the existing provider must notify us that the child is leaving
Funding will transfer from the old provider to the new one from the agreed start date. Funding cannot overlap and cannot be backdated.
Children remain eligible until the end of the term following their third birthday. After this, they may move on to other offers such as the Childcare Offer for Wales or early education provision.
Providers must make sure that staffing ratios continue to meet requirements throughout the child's time in the setting.
For 2-year-olds, the required ratio is 1:4.
This ratio must be maintained until the child transitions out of the scheme.
Families may purchase additional hours with you.
Only the 12.5 funded hours are covered by the scheme.
Providers must submit a monthly claim sheet to the Supporting Families Unit at Isle of Anglesey County Council. Clear timelines are issued in advance each term so providers know exactly when claims must be submitted for payments to be processed on time.
As places are funded through public funding, parents should only book the hours they genuinely need and intend to use.
Regular attendance is expected. Where a child's attendance reduces significantly or childcare needs change, parents should review and amend their booked hours as soon as possible.
Providers should monitor attendance and discuss any ongoing non-attendance with families to ensure funded places remain available for children who require them.