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From promise to progress: making the childcare ambition a reality

Nesta at Plaid Cymru Spring Conference
In A fairer start
28 Feb 2026 11:00 – 11:55
Room 3B, ICC Wales, Newport
Free

This event is available in both Welsh and English.

Gall darpariaeth blynyddoedd cynnar o ansawdd roi sylfaen cryf i blant ddysgu a llwyddo gydol eu hoes. Mae addewid Plaid Cymru ar gyfer gofal plant holl gynhwysol o naw mis i bedair oed yn cynnig gweledigaeth feiddgar ar gyfer Cymru decach. Wrth i’r etholiad agosau, rhaid i’r ffocws symud o ddyhaed i ddarpariaeth gynaliadwy.

Mae cael hyn yn iawn yn golygu trwsio system gymhleth, recriwtio a chadw mwy o staff, a sicrhau bod pob lleoliad yn darparu gofal o ansawdd uchel sydd yn helpu plant i gyrraedd eu potensial. Ond nid rhwystrau yn unig yw’r rhain; maent yn gyfleoedd i adeiladu rhywbeth gwell o’r gwaelod i fyny.

Ymunwch â Dr Ellie Bristow, Nesta Cymru, Dr Catrin Edward, Mudiad Meithrin, a Sioned Williams MS yn Room 3B, ICC Wales ddydd Sadwrn 28 Chwefror, 11:00-11:55 GMT am drafodaeth yn archwilio ffyrdd arloesol o droi uchelgais yn reality.

High-quality early years provision can give children the strong foundations they need for learning and life-long success. Plaid Cymru’s pledge for universal childcare from nine months to four years offers a bold vision for a fairer Wales.

Getting this right means fixing a complicated system, recruiting and retaining more staff, and making sure every setting provides high quality care which helps children reach their potential. These aren't just hurdles; they are opportunities to build something better from the ground up.

Join Dr Ellie Bristow, Mission Manager (Wales), fairer start mission, Nesta, Dr Catrin Edwards, Chief Executive, Mudiad Meithrin and Sioned Williams MS in Room 3B, ICC Wales on Saturday 28 February, 11:00-11:55 GMT to discuss how radical, evidence-led reform can ensure this historic investment builds a world-class foundation for every Welsh child.

Speakers

Ellie Bristow profile pic

Dr Ellie Bristow

She/Her

Ellie is the manager for Nesta's fairer start mission in Wales. Before joining Nesta, Ellie was the National Literacy Trust's Policy & Public Affairs Manager, advocating for literacy across early years, schools, and the criminal justice system. She also worked as a Senior Researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University where she supported projects on teacher recruitment and retention, and the Curriculum for Wales. Ellie has a PhD in Language and Communication from Cardiff University, where her research explored approaches to supporting children’s vocabulary development. She has worked as a freelance literacy and education consultant across Wales, and as a tutor and researcher in linguistics, speech and language therapy, and education and social policy. She also helped develop the Welsh Government's National Strategy for Education Research and Enquiry and its educational equity strategy. Outside work, Ellie enjoys beach walks with her family and rescue dog, reading and singing in a community choir.

Sioned-williams

Sioned Williams MS

She/Her

Sioned Williams MS is the Member of the Senedd for South Wales West and serves as Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Social Justice and Early Years. A former BBC Wales journalist and Strategic Communications lead for Plaid Cymru, she also held key roles at Swansea University, where she co-managed the Welsh language centre, Tŷ’r Gwrhyd.

unnamed

Dr Catrin Edwards

She/Her

Catrin is the Chief Executive at Mudiad Meithrin and is a leader in the third sector with expertise in public policy and external affairs. She has over a decade of experience in developing national membership organisations and influencing policy to put rights into practice. Her experience in the third sector includes additional learning needs, disability, end-of-life care, as well as language planning.

Event information

28 Feb 2026 11:00 – 11:55
Free

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