Mudiad Meithrin: Concerns some Welsh-language nurseries could close
The chief executive added that they "don't have a magic wand to fix things overnight", but that they had not seen evidence of a reduction in volunteers.Cylch Meithrin Cilfynydd in Pontypridd opened following efforts by local parents, who were concerned about the effect closing Ysgol Pont Sion Norton would have on Welsh-medium education in the village.Within a few years, however, the Cylch had closed."There were three of us volunteers, without expertise in childcare," said Lowri Real, the Cylch's former secretary."Finding a site was one challenge, staffing was a huge challenge, and trying to ensure that the business was sustainable."But unfortunately, with staffing and site costs it was just impossible to run it viably. The three of us were essentially running a business on goodwill alone."They were encouraged by the Mudiad Meithrin to apply for grants from the Flying Start scheme, but that would have meant offering more childcare hours and so more admin work."That was beyond our means as a small committee," said Ms Real.She added that it was frustrating not to be able to continue with what they had been offering."If we don't look again at the system, I worry about small communities like this who will lose the language," she said."We need to come round the table and look at this, because the system isn't working and isn't sustainable."I wouldn't be encouraging anyone to open a Cylch Meithrin, because it has been heartbreakingly difficult."
Two years ago, Cylch Meithrin Pontrhydfendigaid in Ceredigion was recognised as the top nursery in Mudiad Meithrin's annual awards.But maintaining that high standard was a challenge said Gwawr Evans, chair for the past five years."It's a lot more work than I'd thought," said the mother of four, who also runs a business."It's been an eye-opener seeing how much the committee does for the Cylch."The Cylch had secured grants to pay for a staff member to do admin work, but Ms Evans said more practical help from Mudiad Meithrin would be welcome."The Mudiad does great work, but more help for committees to deal with reports and staff assessments would certainly be welcome."She was worried that fewer people would want to volunteer in the future."I think it would be a challenge to find anyone willing to take over as chair, treasurer, secretary."No one wants to do it because they see how much work it takes."People have so much more going on with children, work, looking after the house."I'm worried about the nurseries' futures, and how they're going to be run, if more people aren't coming through."
'Parents want more childcare provision, not less'
Mudiad Meithrin's chief executive Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies said she was aware of the pressures on volunteer committees, given the high standards of the childcare sector.Mudiad Meithrin will now review the voluntary committee model to see whether there were other alternatives."The advantage of a volunteer model is that the Cylch belongs to the community," she said."But of course, as childcare demands become ever more complex, the demands on committees also increases."We have a responsibility as Mudiad to take stock of that, and think what can we do differently, while accepting that we don't have a magic wand that can fix things overnight."
Mudiad Meithrin said it was always looking for ways to relieve pressure on volunteer committees.It added that although it was impractical for all nurseries to be part of the Flying Start scheme, many parents were now looking for all-day childcare rather than a few mornings a week.The number of Cylchoedd Meithrin providing Flying Start has more than doubled to 44% over the last three years."Communities and parents on the whole want more childcare provision, not less," said Dr Davies."The concern is if it's not being provided in Welsh, that we'll lose children from the Welsh-medium sector to the English-medium sector."Although Mudiad will look at alternative models, Dr Davies said there was no evidence so far that workload concerns were putting people off joining committees, or setting up new Cylchoedd Meithrin."We have more individuals volunteering on the committees this year than last year, but that doesn't mean we aren't aware of the pressures on them," said Dr Davies."The important thing is that we work in partnership with our 1,200 volunteers and say, if there's something we can do differently or better, thrn we should do that together."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales
Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. The restrictions will be phased in over three years from 2026, rather than the five set out in an official report last year, prompting some shooting organisations to say replacement ammunition may not be fully available in time. The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%. Ammunition using lead has long been identified as a significant pollutant and a particular risk to waterbirds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that about 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die every year from lead poisoning. The ban is 'a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home', said the WWT. Campaigners say birds often eat discarded lead pellets, confusing them for seeds or grit. A 2022 report found 99.5% of pheasants killed using shotgun pellets contained lead, showing that previous efforts to persuade shooters to voluntarily use different ammunition types had achieved little. The ban, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, follows recommendations in December last year by the Health and Safety Executive, which said lead ammunition should be phased out over five years. The HSE proposals followed a public consultation. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said it backed the overall change, but disagreed with the recommended timetable being shortened by two years. The three-year transition was happening on the assumption that the ammunition was readily available, Terry Behan from the BASC said. 'That is not the case for commercial and supply reasons beyond our sector's control. We urge government to adhere to a five-year timescale proposed by the Health and Safety Executive.' Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said his organisation also backed the wider change, while saying the shorter transition period would be 'challenging for ammunition manufacturers'. He said: 'This is an important step for the future of shooting, which will benefit the countryside and rural economy. The alliance has long advocated a move away from lead ammunition, which is necessary and beneficial.' Hardy said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, but our rivers are heavily polluted, and majestic birds are declining at an alarming rate. This new ban on lead in ammunition for most uses will help reverse this – rejuvenating pride in our countryside by protecting precious birdlife and cleaning up rivers. 'Non-lead alternatives are readily available, and we'll continue to work closely with the shooting sector throughout this transition.' James Robinson, the head of birdlife charity the RSPB, said: 'Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.' There is an exemption for the outdoor shooting of permitted birds and animals using small-calibre bullets, because of a lack of suitable non-lead alternatives. Also exempt are airguns, and ammunition used by elite athletes, the military, police and in outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures.
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Telegraph
Britain ‘to lose a pub a day' as Labour's tax raid bites
One pub will close every day this year as Labour's tax raid makes it 'impossible to make a profit', bosses have warned. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) predicted that 378 pubs will shut across England, Wales and Scotland before the end of the year – up from 350 closures last year. It will take pub numbers to their lowest level in a century, the BBPA warned. The body, which represents the pub industry, attributed the expected jump in closures to cost pressures on landlords. Worryingly, it said that for every £3 spent on pints and food in a pub, £1 now went straight to the taxman. It comes after Labour launched a raid on pubs and retailers in the spring, pushing up employers' National Insurance contributions (NIC) and lowering the threshold at which they needed to pay them. The Chancellor also increased the minimum wage by 6.7pc to £12.21 an hour from April, while changes to business rates have pushed costs even higher for pubs. The BBPA has previously suggested the changes cost each UK pub about £14,000 on average. On Thursday, the industry group warned that hundreds of pubs were now preparing to close their doors, which would lead to almost 6,000 jobs being axed by the end of the year. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, labelled it an 'absolute tragedy'. He added: 'Every publican that I've spoken to – and I've visited nine over the weekend in Clacton, just to go and chat and see how they're getting on – every single person says that the NIC rise has taken away their profit. Every single one.' Sir Tim Martin, the boss of pub giant Wetherspoon, said supermarkets were being allowed to undercut pubs and called for ministers to act. He said: 'The consequent widening of the selling price between pubs and supermarkets will inevitably precipitate pub closures and dereliction. To save the pub industry, tax equality with supermarkets is a prerequisite.' Emma McClarkin, BBPA chief executive, said: 'Pubs are trading well but most of the money that goes into the till goes straight back out in bills and taxes. For many, it's impossible to make a profit, which all too often leads to pubs turning off the lights for the last time.' She added: 'When a pub closes, it puts people out of a job, deprives communities of their heart and soul, and hurts the local economy.' Last orders Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said: 'Labour have declared war on our pubs. They've taxed jobs, doubled business rates, tried to scrap the pint, and are now making flexible hours impossible. 'The Government has made an active choice to call last orders on hundreds of pubs.' Clive Watson, the founder of City Pub Company, said more pub chiefs were deciding to hand back the keys after seeing their margins depleted, adding: 'Things are only going in one direction. All the cost pressures are eating away.' Rachel Reeves knocked 1p off the pint in last autumn's Budget by lowering beer duty. However, Tory sources estimate that the average pub would still need to sell an extra 815,000 pints a year to recoup its losses from business rates and the rise in NICS. The BBPA urged the Government to meaningfully reform business rates and help publicans offset 'eye-watering new employment and [packaging] costs'. The extended producer responsibility scheme will come into force later this year and will shift the burden of paying for recycling from consumers through council tax bills to manufacturers themselves. It is expected to pile fresh pressure on pubs and restaurants, as suppliers seek to pass the higher costs on. The extra levy will come at a time when pubs have already been scrambling to cope with soaring bills, with some closing earlier to offset staff costs. The Telegraph recently revealed some pubs were calling last orders as early as 9pm. Brian Whiting, the owner of several rural pubs in the South East, said he was also closing pub kitchens earlier on some nights. He said the tax situation was 'worse than Covid' for the sector. Meanwhile, others have had to push up prices to offset higher costs. The average price of a pint rose above £5 across the UK for the first time this year – up 21p on last year. In London, the average price of a pint hit £6.75 last year, suggesting it could breach £7 this year. The Treasury said: 'We are a pro-business government, and we know the vital importance of pubs to local communities and the economy, which is why we are supporting them with business rates relief, a 1p cut to alcohol duty on draught pints, capping corporation tax and are protecting the smallest businesses from the employer National Insurance rise – which is helping to fund the NHS.'
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
Chemical castration stopped Peter's deviant thoughts. Should it be mandatory for all sex offenders?
When Peter* was arrested for indecent exposure in his 40s, what happened next was almost a relief. Plagued by deviant sexual desires since the age of seven, he was consumed by self-hatred but felt unable to control the ideas that came, unbidden, into his head. After his arrest and subsequent conviction (his first), he was handed a community supervision order and presented with another, more unusual path to rehabilitation: 'chemical castration'. The treatment, which involved taking a drug to suppress his sexual urges, was voluntary but Peter (who is now in his 60s) agreed to try it. The decision changed his life and he noticed the difference within a week. 'It gave me back the head space to think about things other than sexual urges,' he says now. 'It has enabled me to be certain of remaining offence-free for the rest of my life. [It] stopped me feeling any need or desire to offend.' Governments have long grappled with the question of how the law should deal with sex offenders. Roughly 20 per cent of the UK prison population is serving a sentence for a sexual offence, while more than 850 men a month are arrested for online child abuse offences in England and Wales. Usually, the answer is to hand down as harsh a sentence as possible; mandatory life imprisonment has been mooted by politicians in the past. Yet, in practice, prisons are full to bursting, and eight in 10 of those convicted of possessing child abuse images in the UK avoid jail. Could so-called 'chemical castration' be the solution? Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is set to unveil plans for a major overhaul of the way the state punishes criminals this week, has said she will consider making the treatment mandatory for paedophiles and other sex offenders. An existing pilot scheme was commended by David Gauke's independent sentencing review and has shown promising results, suggesting recidivism could be cut by up to 60 per cent. Owing to its success, and a recommendation by Gauke, the programme (which offers 34 offenders in eight prisons voluntary chemical castration) is set to be expanded to 20 prisons, before being rolled out nationally. But suggestions the forthcoming Sentencing Bill may one day lead to mandatory medication, have been met with dismay by experts, who warn that forcing treatment on offenders 'will not work'. Not a panacea for sexual abuse Prof Belinda Winder, a forensic psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, has been evaluating the use of 'medication to manage problematic sexual arousal' (MMSA) for the past 15 years. She says mandating the drugs – typically taken in pill form – would be costly, impractical, and possibly illegal. To explain the psychology of an offender with problematic sexual arousal, Prof Winder uses the analogy of a radio turned up to full volume: 'It's like people are carrying a little radio around with them that's saying 'sex, sex, sex'. 'Everything in their world has sexual elements, or they're trying to bring sex into it,' she says. 'You're getting people masturbating ten times a day, every day, or wanting sex with their partner five, six, times a day… the medication gets sexual arousal back either to a low or manageable level.' But it won't work for all offenders, Prof Winder and others argue. It is only truly effective for those who have 'genuine difficulties in managing arousal', and want to change that, says Prof Don Grubin, emeritus professor of forensic psychiatry at Newcastle University. It will not be suitable for offenders who are primarily motivated by anger, or who struggle to moderate their behaviour while using alcohol or drugs, he adds. In fact, Prof Grubin argues, it is only really an option for a sub-section of the offender population: those with 'paraphilias', who are motivated by an intense sexual fixation. As Prof Grubin suggests, the treatment seems to work for some. A study from Scandinavia found that MMSA reduces rates of reoffending by 40 per cent. Results from a small clinical trial of 52 men in Stockholm, Sweden, showed that paedophiles living in the community had a significantly reduced risk of reoffending just two weeks after starting treatment. Indeed, in some jurisdictions, these treatments are already compulsory. Poland, Kazakhstan and a number of US states including California and Florida already have mandatory prescribing of anti-libidinal drugs to some sex offenders. Other countries including Germany, France, Sweden and Denmark offer chemical castration on a voluntary basis, as in the UK. In 2009, Prof Grubin introduced a pilot scheme in the UK, at HMP Whatton, a category-C prison which specifically holds men who have committed sexual offences. Volunteers were treated with chemical castration, or given anti-depressants. 'It would be wrong to think of it as a magic bullet,' he says, but 'when these drugs work, it's really dramatic. People's whole outlook and motivation changes.' Medications for sex offenders have actually been trialled in some UK prisons for more than 15 years, and used across the world for more than 60. Previously, they have been employed with ill-intent – most famously in the case of Alan Turing, the computer scientist and code-breaker, who was convicted of homosexuality in 1952 and accepted chemical castration as a way of avoiding imprisonment. He took his own life two years later, and received a posthumous royal pardon in 2013. More recently, critics have argued the treatment diminishes the responsibility of men who have committed appalling crimes, potentially allowing them to shorten or avoid time in prison. Earlier this year, Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student at University College, London, and one of Britain's most prolific serial rapists, offered to undergo chemical castration in the wake of his conviction, according to court documents. Rather than a show of remorse for his 'predatory' behaviour, this was adjudged to be an attempt by Zou to avoid a life sentence. It was refused and he was jailed for 24 years. Still, a growing body of experts believe the treatment can also be used to do good – to improve the lives and prospects of men who have committed sexual offences, and to cut rates of reoffending. 'Not every sex offender wants to be a sex offender' In UK prisons, chemical castration primarily involves the use of anti-androgens or Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH), both of which lower levels of the male sex hormone testosterone to pre-pubescent levels, effectively wiping out sex drive and rendering the patient functionally impotent. They can also provoke severe side effects – including breast development, hormonal hot flushes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular changes. SSRI's, a class of antidepressant which can reduce compulsive sexual thoughts, are also used (most commonly Fluoxetine). But Prof Grubin says criminals don't feel angered by the impotence and loss of libido these medications cause. Quite the opposite: they have taken them voluntarily and often feel only relief, having been freed from the intense sexual urges that drove them to criminality. The three-year trial he piloted at HMP Whatton, which ended in 2012, delivered promising results. The treatment was formally adopted, and later introduced in other prisons. Along with Prof Winder, Prof Grubin is now running a double-blind controlled trial [where neither the participants nor researchers know who is receiving the active treatment, and who is receiving a placebo] to prove its efficacy – an important step, given the key criticism of the medication to date has been its lack of exposure to this type of testing. Dr Adarsh Kaul, a forensic psychiatrist who works in prisons in Nottinghamshire, says that 'most, if not all of' the men who are referred to him are relieved by the results. Contrary to the public perception of people who commit sexual offences, he says, 'it is not the case that every sex offender wants to be a sex offender'. 'There are some for whom you might compare it to alcohol,' says Dr Kaul. 'Does every person who drinks to excess want to screw up their life and destroy their health? No. There's a whole range of people.' It is often so effective that some of his patients consider themselves 'cured', though medics stress such a conclusion (as well as the term 'chemical castration' itself) is misleading because the results are reversible. 'There are people who I treat who get better, and at some point they say to me, 'I'm well now, and I don't need the treatment any more',' says Dr Kaul. 'But many of them, after a few weeks or months, will come back to me and say, 'You know what, you were right – I'm not cured, and the reason I thought I was is because I was taking this medication.'' It's not up to the Government to say, 'this man needs medication' Indeed, some have seized on arguments that the medication is not a silver bullet, criticising Mahmood's mooting of a nationwide, mandatory scheme. Shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, has dismissed Mahmood's suggestion as a 'gimmick', designed to draw the public's attention away from major sentencing reform that could see swaths of prisoners released from jail just a third of the way through their sentences, in order to deal with an overcrowding crisis. '[Sir Keir] Starmer cannot mandate chemical castration without ripping up human rights legislation. Pigs will fly before that happens,' he said in May. Mahmood and her fellow officials appear undeterred. 'Chemical castration works. Unlike the last Conservative government, this Government won't be squeamish about doing what works to keep the public safe. That starts by rolling chemical castration out nationwide – with two new regions soon to be announced. And we continue to explore mandation,' a Government source told The Times this week. But experts with experience of administering these drugs warn of potential trouble ahead, particularly if criminals end up needing to be sectioned in order to be treated – something the Government has not ruled out – or taking the medication is made a condition of their parole licences. 'We treat patients, we don't treat risk,' says Prof Grubin, who adds that medics risk being turned into 'agents of social control' if the plan is pushed through. 'It's not up to the Government to say, 'this man needs medication'.' Prof Grubin suggests doctors may even refuse to administer the treatment under such circumstances. After all, he argues, the reason they have been successful so far is because the men taking the drugs want to reduce their own risk. * Name has been changed
