HUNDREDS of children will soon be eligible to 30 hours of free care as part of a scheme to assist working families in the county.

Children aged three to four year’s old living in the Dolgellau, Ffestiniog, Porthmadog and Bangor well-being areas will participate in a trial of the new scheme, due to be rolled out in March.

More areas are expected to join the initiative in the near future following a grant of nearly £2m from the Welsh Government.

At present, approximately 750 children in Gwynedd can participate in the scheme but that number is expected to rise as more areas are added to the trial.

Gwynedd and Anglesey councils have been chosen as ‘early adopters’ of the scheme and will receive funding early on before the plan expanded throughout the country in 2020.

Gwynedd Council Cabinet agreed to the decision at a meeting in February.

A Gwynedd spokesperson said: “The government acknowledges that childcare is one of the greatest challenges facing working families in Wales and developing a better childcare offer is considered a priority for the government.

"The government has committed to providing 30 hours per week of early years education and free childcare for working parents of three to four year olds, for 48 weeks a year.”

Councillor Mair Rowlands, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for children and young people added: “Securing suitable child care provision is vitally important for families.

"Parents being able to stay home for years to care for their children is far less common these days, and parents need to be confident that they can depend on the best possible childcare facilities so that they can return to work knowing that their child is in safe hands and thriving.

“We were therefore delighted when Gwynedd was announced as one of a number of counties selected by the Welsh Government to pilot the extended Childcare Offer for three and four year-olds.

"This will allow us to work with partners in the sector to ensure that Gwynedd’s children receive the best start in life, to look in detail at childcare provision in rural areas as well as helping to provide valuable employment opportunities in this important field."