Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
The start of a new year is usually a time for reflection on what has happened before, and hope for what is to come in the weeks and months ahead.  This year, more than ever, there is much to reflect on and much to hope for.


The position with regards to Covid\-19 remains serious with case rates higher across Wales and the UK than we would like them to be.  Our NHS remains under significant pressure, with concerns about case rates within the community, hospital admissions and capacity within critical and intensive care.  It is important that we do all we can to support the NHS. 


In this context, it is important that our childcare (including Flying Start) and playwork providers have clarity on both whether or not their settings can open, and what measures they can take to reduce the risks to their staff and the children they care for.


Across Wales all childcare and playwork settings are able to remain open, providing care, support, early education and rich play opportunities for all children.  This includes all of our non\-maintained settings such as childminders and day care providers, along with playwork settings and Flying Start provision. 


Where our non\-maintained settings run from mixed use buildings such as community centres, places of worship or leisure centres they can continue to operate where there is a clear need for childcare within their local area.  Non\-maintained settings based on school sites are also able to operate.  However, there may be local restrictions on access to some of these premises, and settings will need to work with those responsible for the buildings to take account of them. As childcare settings remain open those settings delivering foundation phase nursery can continue to do so.


Maintained settings, or school nurseries, which generally only provide early education, are operating on the same basis as schools and will only be open for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. 


I know that for many settings there are concerns about payments stopping where children are unable to attend and the impacts this will have for them and their ability to remain open Funding can continue to be provided for childcare under Flying Start which is funded through the Welsh Government’s Children and Communities Grant.  Childcare Offer funding will continue to be paid based on booked hours in some circumstances where Covid\-19 is causing disruption to childcare services or where children are unable to attend.  Settings should speak with their local authority about their circumstances.  Local authorities may also be able to provide some funding to help with additional costs or loss in income as a result of Covid\-19\.


It is also important to clarify for parents that informal childcare such as that provided by wider family members can continue where there are no other alternatives available.


Access to high quality childcare and play opportunities, particularly in the early years, supports child cognitive, social and emotional development. .  This is critical in supporting children’s longer term development, school readiness and life chances.  We want to ensure as many children as possible can continue to access that provision and support.  We are also mindful of the importance of accessing this support for parents and families. 


However, it is important to always remember that childcare and playwork provision can only run where staff are able to work in those settings.  Our childcare and playwork providers have continued to provide first class care for our children and young people throughout what have been, and continue to be, incredibly challenging times.  I am immensely grateful for all that they have done, and all that they continue to do, to support children and their families. 


Understandably many of our settings and the staff that work within them have expressed concerns about how they can continue to remain open in light of the current rates of Covid\-19 across Wales.  In particular, concerns have been raised about the risks regarding the new variant of Covid\-19\. 


Our Technical Advisory Group published a summary of the evidence regarding this and the position with regards to education on 8 January\[1].  While this is largely aimed at education settings, many of the findings are relevant to childcare. 


It is not yet clear whether the faster spread observed with this variant is consistent across age groups, or if there is a greater increase in transmission relative to other variants in some age groups. However, the data shows that cases do remain lower in children and young people than in adults, and incidence among children less than 5 years old and those aged 5 to 11 are relatively low.  Overall only relatively low numbers of positive cases among staff and children have been reported to Care Inspectorate Wales. It is also important that we understand there is no evidence that the new variant increases the likelihood of worse health outcomes for individual children or adults, although remaining fully conscious of the wish to ensure all workers are protected from avoidable harm.


The new variant does, however, remain very concerning, and to keep R at or below 1 we will all need to do more to ensure we follow the advice and guidance on the actions we should be taking collectively and individually.  Our existing non\-pharmaceutical interventions remain the most effective means of reducing the risk of transmission, including those already in place within childcare and playwork settings.  These include scrupulous adherence to prompt isolation and testing in the event of symptoms, cooperation with test and trace, hand washing, surface hygiene, room ventilation, distancing from other staff and appropriate use of face coverings by parents and carers.  Where settings are able to they can and should look to make as much use of their outdoor space as possible. 


Settings should also be ensuring children remain in their contact groups, with consistency in children and staff.  Where possible, smaller contact groups are better as they further reduce the levels of social mixing; their scale means that childcare and playwork settings have been very good at managing contact group size to date.


We have provided guidance on the Protective Measures\[2] that childcare settings can put in place to support them in mitigating risks and a survey of registered non\-maintained settings last year suggests they are able and willing to implement these types of measures.


Looking beyond general measures, workplace risk assessments are available for individual members of staff and we would encourage everyone to undertake these.  Those staff members who have been advised to stay at home or shield should do so.  Children who have been advised to shield should also remain at home.      


Childcare and playwork settings have already made significant adaptations to the way in which they operate to ensure they can continue their important work in caring for our children and young people.  Working together and following the rules, we can continue to keep Wales safe.    


\[1] https://gov.wales/technical\-advisory\-group\-variant\-concern\-and\-education\-wales


\[2] https://gov.wales/protective\-measures\-childcare\-settings\-keep\-childcare\-safe







Translation:


 
Mae dechrau blwyddyn newydd fel arfer yn amser i ystyried yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd yn y gorffennol, a meddwl am ein gobeithion am yr hyn sydd i ddod dros yr wythnosau a'r misoedd nesaf. Eleni, yn fwy nag erioed, mae llawer i’w ystyried a llawer i obeithio amdano.


Mae'r sefyllfa o ran Covid\-19 yn parhau i fod yn ddifrifol gyda chyfraddau achosion yn uwch ledled Cymru a'r DU nag yr hoffem iddynt fod. Mae ein GIG o dan bwysau sylweddol o hyd, gyda phryderon am gyfraddau achosion yn y gymuned, derbyniadau i'r ysbyty a chapasiti o fewn gofal critigol a dwys. Mae'n bwysig inni wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i gefnogi'r GIG. 


Yn y cyd\-destun hwn, mae'n bwysig bod ein darparwyr cynlluniau gofal plant (gan gynnwys Dechrau'n Deg) a gwaith chwarae yn eglur ynghylch a all eu lleoliadau agor ai peidio, a pha fesurau y gallant eu cymryd i leihau'r risgiau i'w staff a'r plant y maent yn gofalu amdanynt.


Ledled Cymru, gall pob lleoliad gofal plant a gwaith chwarae aros ar agor, gan ddarparu gofal, cymorth, addysg gynnar a chyfleoedd chwarae cyfoethog i bob plentyn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys pob un o'n lleoliadau nas cynhelir megis gwarchodwyr plant a darparwyr gofal dydd, ynghyd â lleoliadau gwaith chwarae a darpariaeth Dechrau'n Deg. 


Lle mae ein lleoliadau nas cynhelir yn defnyddio adeiladau defnydd cymysg fel canolfannau cymunedol, addoldai neu ganolfannau hamdden, gallant barhau i weithredu lle mae'n amlwg bod angen gofal plant yn eu hardal leol. Gall lleoliadau nas cynhelir ar safleoedd ysgolion weithredu hefyd. Fodd bynnag, efallai y bydd cyfyngiadau lleol ar fynediad i rai o'r safleoedd hyn, a bydd angen i leoliadau weithio gyda'r rhai sy'n gyfrifol am yr adeiladau i'w hystyried. Gan fod lleoliadau gofal plant yn parhau i fod ar agor, gall y lleoliadau hynny sy'n cynnig darpariaeth feithrin y cyfnod sylfaen barhau i wneud hynny.


Bydd lleoliadau a gynhelir, neu feithrinfeydd ysgol, sy'n darparu addysg gynnar yn unig yn gyffredinol, yn gweithredu ar yr un sail ag ysgolion a dim ond ar gyfer plant gweithwyr hanfodol a phlant sy'n agored i niwed y byddant ar agor. 


Rwy’n gwybod bod llawer o leoliadau yn pryderu ynghylch taliadau’n dod i ben pan na all plant fynychu, ac effaith hyn arnynt hwy a’u gallu i aros ar agor. Gellir parhau i ddarparu cyllid ar gyfer gofal plant o dan Dechrau'n Deg, sy'n cael ei ariannu drwy Grant Plant a Chymunedau Llywodraeth Cymru. Bydd cyllid y Cynnig Gofal Plant yn parhau i gael ei dalu ar sail oriau a archebwyd o dan rai amgylchiadau pan fo Covid\-19 yn amharu ar wasanaethau gofal plant neu pan nad oes modd i blant fynychu. Dylai lleoliadau drafod eu hamgylchiadau â’u hawdurdod lleol. Efallai y bydd modd i awdurdodau lleol hefyd ddarparu rhywfaint o gyllid i helpu gyda chostau ychwanegol neu wneud iawn am incwm a gollwyd o ganlyniad i Covid\-19\.


Mae hefyd yn bwysig egluro i rieni y gall gofal plant anffurfiol fel yr hyn a ddarperir gan aelodau ehangach o'r teulu barhau lle nad oes unrhyw ddewisiadau eraill ar gael.


Mae mynediad at ofal plant a chyfleoedd chwarae o ansawdd uchel, yn enwedig yn y blynyddoedd cynnar, yn cefnogi datblygiad gwybyddol, cymdeithasol ac emosiynol plant.  Mae hyn yn hanfodol i gefnogi datblygiad tymor hwy plant, eu parodrwydd ar gyfer yr ysgol a’u cyfleoedd bywyd. Rydym am sicrhau bod cynifer o blant â phosibl yn gallu parhau i fanteisio ar y ddarpariaeth a'r gefnogaeth honno. Rydym hefyd yn ymwybodol o bwysigrwydd cael gafael ar y cymorth hwn i rieni a theuluoedd. 


Fodd bynnag, mae'n bwysig cofio bob amser mai dim ond pan fydd staff yn gallu gweithio yn y lleoliadau hynny y gall darpariaeth gofal plant a gwaith chwarae redeg. Mae ein darparwyr gofal plant a gwaith chwarae wedi parhau i ddarparu gofal o'r radd flaenaf i'n plant a'n pobl ifanc drwy gydol yr hyn sydd wedi bod, ac yn parhau i fod, yn gyfnod hynod heriol. Rwy’n ddiolchgar tu hwnt am bopeth y maent wedi'i wneud, a'r cyfan y maent yn dal i'w wneud, i gefnogi plant a'u teuluoedd. 


Yn ddealladwy, mae llawer o'n lleoliadau a'r staff sy'n gweithio ynddynt wedi mynegi pryderon ynghylch sut y gallant barhau i aros ar agor yng ngoleuni cyfraddau presennol Covid\-19 ledled Cymru. Yn benodol, codwyd pryderon am y risgiau o ran yr amrywiolyn newydd o Covid\-19\. 


Cyhoeddodd ein Grŵp Cynghori Technegol grynodeb o'r dystiolaeth ynglŷn â hyn a'r sefyllfa o ran addysg ar 8 Ionawr\[1]. Er bod hyn wedi'i anelu'n bennaf at leoliadau addysg, mae llawer o'r canfyddiadau'n berthnasol i ofal plant. 


Nid yw'n glir eto a yw'r lledaeniad cyflymach a welwyd gyda'r amrywiolyn hwn yn gyson ar draws grwpiau oedran, neu a oes mwy o gynnydd mewn trosglwyddo o'i gymharu ag amrywiolion eraill mewn rhai grwpiau oedran. Fodd bynnag, mae'r data'n dangos bod achosion yn parhau'n is mewn plant a phobl ifanc nag oedolion, a bod nifer yr achosion ymhlith plant llai na 5 oed a'r rhai rhwng 5 ac 11 oed yn gymharol isel. Yn gyffredinol, dim ond niferoedd cymharol isel o achosion positif ymhlith staff a phlant sydd wedi'u hadrodd i Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru. Mae'n bwysig hefyd ein bod yn deall nad oes tystiolaeth bod yr amrywiolyn newydd yn cynyddu'r tebygolrwydd o ganlyniadau iechyd gwaeth i blant neu oedolion unigol, er bod angen parhau i fod yn gwbl ymwybodol o'r dymuniad i sicrhau bod pob gweithiwr yn cael ei amddiffyn rhag niwed y gellir ei osgoi. 


Fodd bynnag, mae'r amrywiolyn newydd yn parhau i fod yn destun pryder mawr, ac er mwyn cadw R ar neu islaw 1 bydd angen i bob un ohonom wneud mwy i sicrhau ein bod yn dilyn y cyngor a'r arweiniad ar y camau y dylem fod yn eu cymryd ar y cyd ac yn unigol. Ein hymyriadau anfferyllol presennol yw'r ffordd fwyaf effeithiol o hyd o leihau'r risg o drosglwyddo, gan gynnwys y rhai sydd eisoes ar waith mewn lleoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys glynu'n ofalus at fesurau ynysu a phrofi prydlon os bydd symptomau, cydweithredu â’r swyddogion profi ac olrhain, golchi dwylo, hylendid arwynebedd, awyru ystafelloedd, ymbellhau oddi wrth staff eraill a defnydd priodol o orchuddion wyneb gan rieni a gofalwyr. Dylai lleoliadau geisio gwneud cymaint o ddefnydd â phosibl o'u gofod awyr agored lle bynnag y bo cyfle. 


Dylai lleoliadau hefyd fod yn sicrhau bod plant yn aros yn eu grwpiau cyswllt, gyda chysondeb o ran y plant a'r staff. Lle y bo'n bosibl, mae grwpiau cyswllt llai yn well gan eu bod yn lleihau lefelau cymysgu cymdeithasol ymhellach; mae eu maint yn golygu bod lleoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae wedi bod yn dda iawn am reoli maint y grwpiau cyswllt hyd yma.


Rydym wedi darparu canllawiau ar y Mesurau Diogelu\[2] y gall lleoliadau gofal plant eu rhoi ar waith i'w cynorthwyo i liniaru risgiau ac mae arolwg o leoliadau cofrestredig nas cynhelir a gynhaliwyd y llynedd yn awgrymu eu bod yn gallu ac yn barod i weithredu'r mathau hyn o fesurau.


Gan edrych y tu hwnt i fesurau cyffredinol, mae asesiadau risg yn y gweithle ar gael i aelodau unigol o staff a byddem yn annog pawb i gynnal rhain. Dylai'r aelodau staff hynny sydd wedi cael eu cynghori i aros gartref neu warchod eu hunain wneud hynny. Dylai plant sydd wedi cael eu cynghori i warchod eu hunain aros gartref hefyd.     


Mae lleoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae eisoes wedi gwneud addasiadau sylweddol i'r ffordd y maent yn gweithredu i sicrhau y gallant barhau â'u gwaith pwysig o ofalu am ein plant a'n pobl ifanc. Gan weithio gyda'n gilydd a dilyn y rheolau, gallwn barhau i ddiogelu Cymru.    


\[1] https://llyw.cymru/y\-grwp\-cyngor\-technegol\-amrywiolyn\-syn\-peri\-pryder\-ac\-addysg\-yng\-nghymru


\[2] https://llyw.cymru/mesurau\-diogelu\-mewn\-lleoliadau\-gofal\-plant\-cadw\-gofal\-plant\-yn\-ddiogel