POWYS County Council have announced that emergency childcare hubs will be operating from 13 locations across the county.

The hubs will provide childcare to support critical emergency workers, NHS staff, social care workers and the county’s most vulnerable children.

Starting from this Friday, March 27 the hubs will operate from 8am-6pm everyday, including weekends.

As part of the arrangements, meals will be provided to children three times a day and transport will also be arranged for children to get to and from their homes.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: “The advice to parents is clear – if your children can stay safely in their home, they should.

 “However, critical workers will still need to have safe care arrangements for their children.  These emergency childcare hubs will be providing a vital service to support critical workers and our most vulnerable children”.

He also explained how schools will remain open until the hubs can launch on Friday, March 27.

“Our school sites will remain open up until Thursday as emergency childcare facilities but then they will close and these hubs will become operational from Friday onwards.

 “I want to thank all professionals at our schools for their commitment during this extremely difficult period.” said Cllr Davies.

Critical workers who wish to access the provision from Friday, March 27 to Friday, April 3 will need to register their child at the nearest emergency child care hub by filling in an online form by 9pm on Wednesday, March 25.

The emergency childcare hubs are based in:

Brecon – Priory C. in W. School, Brecon

Builth Wells – Newbridge-on-Wye C. in W. School

Crickhowell – Crickhowell C.P. School

Gwernyfed – Archdeacon Griffiths C. in W. (A) School, Llyswen

Llandrindod Wells – Llandrindod Wells C.P. School Cefnllys

Llanfair Caereinion – Ysgol Gynradd Llanfair Caereinion

Llanfyllin – Ysgol Gynradd Llanfyllin

Llanidloes – Llanidloes C.P. School

Presteigne – Presteigne C.P. School

Machynlleth – Ysgol Bro Hyddgen – Primary Campus, Machynlleth

Newtown – Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd, Newtown

Welshpool – Welshpool C. in W. Primary School (Howell Road Site)

Ystradgynlais – Ysgol Dyffryn y Glowyr, Lower Cwmtwrch

To register your child, go to: https://tinyurl.com/Emergency-childcare-hubs