A charity is to close bringing an end to after-school clubs and holiday activities for disabled children in Brighton and Hove for financial reasons.
Extratime, which is based in Portslade, has provided clubs, holiday schemes and family events since it was founded 20 years ago by two parents of severely disabled children.
The charity and the council issued a joint statement today (Tuesday 20 June): “Brighton and Hove City Council and local children’s charity Extratime have today announced the planned closure in October of the services the organisation provides.
“Extratime provides services to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the city.”
Ros Cook, chair of the Extratime trustees, said: “Sadly, the trustees of Extratime have taken the very difficult decision that the charity services are no longer financially viable.
“We realise this will be very worrying for families who rely on us but we are working closely with the council to ensure as best we can that services will continue in the future.
“This decision is due to a combination of factors including not being able to return to our pre-pandemic levels of service, the impact of rising costs and the national recruitment crisis in care and education.
“Although the council has continued to support us at a consistent level, other sources of income have reduced.”
The council added: “Extratime has told the council it is committed to delivering its youth clubs and holiday schemes until the end of October half term this year and its after-school clubs until the end of the summer term.”
Councillor Lucy Helliwell, joint chair of the council’s Families, Children and Schools Committee, said: “We’re very sad to hear Extratime is having to end the services it provides for the council and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
“Although we’ve been able to keep supporting Extratime with funding, it’s very unfortunate other factors have prevented it from continuing.
“Extratime has been a very valued provider of holiday and youth schemes plus after school clubs for 20 years and has supported many children and young people with SEND in the city. The organisation is highly valued by parents and carers and will be sadly missed.
“We are pleased and reassured Extratime will continue providing services until the end of the school term and also the October half term.
“We will now be working with our local special schools and families and carers to find new providers to ensure as much as possible that no child is left without a place at an after school, youth club or holiday schemes.
“We are also looking at ways of protecting as many jobs as possible for staff at Extratime.”
Closure dates for activities are
• Hill Park after-school club: Friday 21 July
• Woodys after-school club: Thursday 20 July (school inset day on Friday 21 July)
• Grub Club: Thursday 20 July
• Youth Club: Wednesday 18 October
• Summer holiday schemes: Monday 21 August
• October half-term youth scheme: Friday 27 October
Community Ownership Fund is a £1 million lifeline here from central government, and this story is exactly what it is for. I’ll send the information to Cllr. Helliwell.