Childcare and Play Practice Report for Wales

Wales CIW News

Published March 19th, 2026

Detected March 26th, 2026

Summary

The Care Inspectorate Wales has published a new report highlighting excellent practices in childcare and play settings across Wales. The report identifies common themes in effective practice, such as supporting emotional wellbeing, embracing inclusivity, and using outdoor environments, aiming to help sector professionals improve their services.

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The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) has released a report titled 'Lessons from Practice Worth Sharing: Childcare and Play' on March 19, 2026. This document compiles examples of highly effective and inspiring practices observed in childcare and play settings throughout Wales. It aims to serve as a resource for professionals in the sector, offering insights into how to enhance the care and support provided to children and families.

The report focuses on key areas where providers are making a significant positive impact, including fostering children's emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging, promoting inclusivity and cultural awareness, creatively utilizing outdoor and community spaces, and embedding reflective practices for continuous improvement. The CIW hopes this recognition of excellent practice will contribute to the ongoing development and flourishing of childcare and play services in Wales.

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Lessons from Practice Worth Sharing: New report celebrates excellent practice in childcare and play across Wales

We have published a new report highlighting some of the most effective and inspiring practice we've seen across childcare and play settings in Wales.

When we find examples of particularly effective practice that have had a positive impact on children, we ask providers to tell us more about what they're doing and how the children in their care have benefitted.

This report brings together the common themes behind those positive examples, and we hope it will help those working in the sector to consider how they might further improve the care and support they provide for children and families.

Across the settings we've visited, we've seen providers making a real difference in several key areas:

Supporting children's emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging
Embracing inclusivity and cultural awareness
Making innovative use of outdoor and community environments
Embedding reflective approaches to continuous improvement. We want children in Wales to have access to childcare and play services that continue to improve and flourish. Recognising excellent practice is a vital part of making that happen.

Read the full report.