Kids Company, the youth work charity, is said to have told ministers it is on the verge of closing its doors in the light of concerns about its financial management.
The charity, which received £3m in a government restructuring package a week ago, used part of its grant to pay overdue staff wages, a move reportedly against the conditions of the funding. Kids Company is said to have told ministers that it will now have to close its services for vulnerable youngsters, according to a report on BBC Newsnight and Buzzfeed.
The charity is also being investigated by the police for allegations of criminal activity including sexual abuse, on its premises. In a statement on their website, founder of Kids Company, Camila Batmanghelidjh, said: “In the last 19 years there have been no child protection rulings that have found us falling short of safeguarding the people in our care.”
Many vulnerable young people have been helped by Kids Company and if the decision goes ahead, thousands of youngsters in London, Bristol and Liverpool could be affected.
We would like to hear from people who will be affected if the charity closes. Whether you’re a young person who’s supported by Kids Company – or you have worked with the organisation. Share your experiences and tell us how the decision could affect you.
We can only publish contributions from those over the age of 16 but if you’re younger and want to share your experience, then here are some people to get in touch with:
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ChildLine 0800 1111
- NSPCC 0808 800 5000
Published submissions will appear on GuardianWitness, and perhaps the Guardian too, so please be sure that you’re only sharing what you’re happy to have everyone read. Published contributions can also be shared on Facebook and Twitter.
If you prefer to share anonymously because of the sensitive nature of your experience, then please use the form below. You can also email us at guardian.witness@theguardian.com
We will use some contributions in our reporting.
