‘Cymraeg For Kids’ Rolled Out Across Wales

A scheme to encourage parents to use Welsh with their babies and young children will be available in all 22 local authority areas after it received a £225,000 funding boost from the Welsh Government, Minister for the Welsh Language Alun Davies announced today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Cymraeg for Kids’ is a unique project set up by the Welsh Government in partnership with Mudiad Meithrin to support and encourage parents and prospective parents to transfer the Welsh language to children and promote the benefits of bilingualism. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Established in April 2016, the project works with NHS Wales and other partners to provide advice and support on the benefits of raising a child bilingually. It also provides groups for parents and carers to engage in activities that promote the development of Welsh language skills in children from birth to school age. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A network of officers currently delivers these services in 14 local authorities, but this new money will enable Mudiad Meithrin to expand these activities across the whole country for the first time. The nature of the services offered will be tailored to meet the specific linguistic needs of parents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language, Alun Davies said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We know that the combination of parental and social interaction with frequent exposure to practical language assists language learning and positively affects the linguistic competence of the child in later life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Encouraging and promoting the use of the Welsh language within the family remains one of the Welsh Government’s key priorities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is vital we support our most important resource, namely our people – whether they’re fluent, lacking in confidence or eager to learn. We need to enable them to use the language in increasingly practical, creative and fun ways.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dr Gwenllian L. Davies, Chief Executive of Mudiad Methrin, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re really pleased to be able to expand ‘Cymraeg for Kids’ to all parts of Wales and look forward to encouraging and supporting families to use Welsh at home. We’ll continue to work closely at a local level with all partners who share the vision of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​