THREE additional childcare hubs are opening in Carmarthenshire due to increasing demand to provide care for children of critical workers and vulnerable children.

The new hubs are located at Bryn Primary School in Llanelli, Model Primary School in Carmarthen and Ysgol Tycroes and will open from Monday, May 18.

Strict guidelines are in place at the hubs to help prevent the spread of coronavirus including frequent hand-washing, social distancing measures and additional cleaning regimes.

However, it is vital that numbers are kept low to ensure the health and safety of both the children and staff.

Parents are being reminded to keep their children at home where possible to help contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

However, if you are a critical worker, and your child cannot stay at home, then your childcare will be prioritised.

Parents should only apply for childcare to cover their working hours; and are also being reminded to please cancel as soon as possible if you no longer need the provision.

Executive Board Member for Education and Children’s Services Cllr Glynog Davies said: “Our childcare hubs have been coming under increasing demand so in order to alleviate this pressure and to ensure the health and safety of staff and children, we are opening an extra three hubs.

“The childcare hubs are there to provide childcare for our most vulnerable children and for children of critical workers so that frontline services can continue to operate. The message remains that parents should only use the hubs if they really need to.

“I would again like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at the hubs for all they are doing to look after the children; and I also want to pay tribute to all our key workers that are doing an amazing job, we are all very grateful.”

The council is also hoping to open a further hub at Ysgol Ffwrnes in Llanelli, arrangements are being made and further details will follow as soon as possible.

Please note the timetable for applications to the childcare hubs has also changed, and that applications now close at 5pm on the Wednesday of the week before.