Darllenwch hyn yn Gymraeg yma.  Read this in Welsh here

The Deputy Minister for Social Services has announced the removal of the requirement for childcare and playwork settings to keep children in consistent contact groups.

In discussion with public health officials and in line with the wider community approach to mitigating the risk of transmission, the decision has been taken to move away from a focus on the requirement to maintain consistent contact groups across childcare and playwork settings, including Flying Start settings.  The use of consistent contact groups will no longer be required from Monday 19 July.  It will bring childcare and playwork settings in line with the requirements on organisers of other children's activities.

The reliance on consistent contact groups will be replaced by a stronger focus on contact tracing. Settings will need to ensure that they maintain detailed records of attendance and activities to enable clear identification of close contacts to a positive case.  With these measures in place, the risks of transmission in childcare settings would continue to be mitigated.

This change is a response to the increasing role being played by the vaccination of adults in Wales, the twice weekly testing offer to staff in childcare and our effective contact tracing system.   The continued implementation of other control measures, such as good ventilation, thorough hand hygiene and enhanced cleaning practices remain paramount to reducing the risk of transmission. Settings must also ensure that they do not allow staff or children who have tested positive or who should be self-isolating to attend the setting.

The protective measures in childcare guidance and relevant FAQs will shortly be updated. 

Please see the Welsh Government guidance and PACEY Cymru's Frequently Asked Questions for Wales for further information in relation to COVID-19.

If you have any queries, please email paceycymru@pacey.org.uk

Y Dirprwy Weinidog a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol wedi cyhoeddi ei fod yn cael gwared ar y gofyniad i leoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae gadw plant mewn grwpiau cyswllt cyson.

Mewn trafodaeth â swyddogion iechyd cyhoeddus ac yn unol â'r dull cymunedol ehangach o liniaru'r risg o drosglwyddo mae’r penderfyniad wedi’i wneud i symud oddi wrth y gofyniad i gynnal grwpiau cyswllt cyson ar draws ein lleoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae, gan gynnwys lleoliadau Dechrau’n Deg.  Ni fydd angen defnyddio grwpiau cyswllt cyson mwyach o ddydd Llun 19 Gorffennaf ymlaen. Byddai'n dod â lleoliadau gofal plant a gwaith chwarae yn unol â'r gofynion ar drefnwyr gweithgareddau plant eraill.

Bydd y ddibyniaeth ar grwpiau cyswllt cyson yn cael ei disodli gan ffocws cryfach ar olrhain cyswllt. Bydd angen i leoliadau sicrhau eu bod yn cadw cofnodion manwl o bresenoldeb a gweithgareddau er mwyn galluogi adnabod cysylltiadau agos ag achos cadarnhaol yn glir. Gyda'r mesurau hyn ar waith, byddai'r risgiau trosglwyddo mewn lleoliadau gofal plant yn parhau i gael eu lliniaru.

Mae’r newid hwn yn ymateb i effaith gynyddol brechu oedolion yng Nghymru, cynnig profion ddwywaith yr wythnos i staff mewn lleoliadau gofal plant, a'n system olrhain cysylltiadau effeithiol. Mae parhau i ddilyn camau rheoli eraill, fel arferion awyru da, golchi dwylo’n drylwyr a glanhau’n well yn hollbwysig er mwyn lleihau'r risg o drosglwyddo’r feirws. Rhaid i leoliadau hefyd sicrhau nad ydyn nhw'n caniatáu i staff neu blant sydd wedi profi'n bositif neu a ddylai fod yn hunan-ynysu fynychu'r lleoliad.

Bydd y mesurau amddiffynnol mewn canllawiau gofal plant a Chwestiynau Cyffredin perthnasol yn cael eu diweddaru.

Gweler Mesurau diogelu mewn lleoliadau gofal plant: cadw gofal plant yn ddiogel a Cwestiynau Cyffredin i Gymru PACEY Cymru am ragor o wybodaeth mewn perthynas â COVID-19.

Am unrhyw ymholiadau eraill, e-bostiwch paceycymru@pacey.org.uk