Children's respite charity Parc (Essex) shuts its doors

A charity which offered respite care to hundreds of children with additional needs has closed without notice.

Parc (Essex) provided supervised short breaks and other support for children and their families from its centre in Great Notley, near Braintree.

Parents learned last week the service was stopping immediately and said they were "devastated" by the decision.

Essex County Council said its contract with Parc was terminated. Parc has been approached for comment.

Parent Francesca Byers, who lives in Witham, said: "My first reaction was just massive sadness because there are very few facilities for children with disabilities in Essex.

"It is devastating for all the families."

Fellow parent Shelly Fordham, of Silver End, said she did not know what the impact of the closure would be on her four-year-old son.

"We've not actually had the courage to tell our son yet," she said.

The charity's website is currently not publicly accessible, its financial filing to the Charity Commission is more than 80 days overdue and callers to Parc are told that due to "unavoidable circumstances all services are now cancelled for the foreseeable future".

The reason for the sudden closure of the charity, which employed 65 people, is unclear, though the county council said it was down to Parc's "financial situation".

Earlier this year an Ofsted inspection raised safeguarding concerns at Parc. However, following a later inspection in May, Ofsted said: "We found that the provider had improved their knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures and now fully understands their responsibilities."

Beverley Egan, the Conservative-led county council's cabinet member for children's services and early years, said Parc had contacted it to explain it was "no longer able to deliver their contract with us".

"As we have a duty of care to ensure children and young people's needs continue to be met through Essex short breaks, clubs and activities, we have had no choice but to reluctantly terminate our contract with them," she said.

"While we have previously supported this provider to explore how their situation could be made more viable, it became clear that was not achievable.

"I would like to reassure families that this decision has not been taken lightly but we must act in their best interests."

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