School clubs face closure threat

Children at one of the affected clubs, Just Kids, in Antrim

Seventy-eight after school clubs in Northern Ireland face closure after they failed to secure funding from an EU peace programme.

Several clubs have already issued notices to staff warning of redundancy and said unless they get money by the end of March they will have to close.

Northern Ireland has 224 voluntary clubs catering for 6,000 children.

Jacqueline O'Loughlin from the charity, Playboard, said it was a crisis as the government had failed to keep promises.

"Last October, Children's Minister Lord Rooker announced an emergency cash handout for clubs because so many were on the verge of closure," she said.

"At the same time, he promised to look at how out of school provision in Northern Ireland could be brought into line with England where the government is investing hundreds of millions of pounds in out of school care.

"Six months later, we're still waiting for any firm indication of longer-term government funding for the sector, while dozens of clubs hover on the brink of closure."

Deprivation

One club facing the prospect of closure is the Just Kids out of school club on the Rathenraw estate in Antrim.

It provides affordable childcare for dozens of low-income families and Playboard said it would be forced to close within the next few weeks if it did not secure additional funding.

The club's manager, Alison O'Neill, said many parents could be forced to quit their jobs and return to a "life on social security benefits" if Just Kids shuts.

"Our area has a high level of deprivation, relative to other parts of Northern Ireland" said Ms O'Neill.

"This cross-community club has enabled many parents to return to work and, as a result, to lift their families out of poverty.

"But most of them can't afford privately-provided childcare, and many may well have to leave their jobs if this club closes."

Last December, the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, promised a two-year funding package worth £62m for children and young people in Northern Ireland.