Joint council and Extratime statement

The 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. 

The Brighton based charity has provided clubs, holiday schemes and family events since it was founded 20 years ago by two parents of severely disabled children. 

'Very difficult decision'

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.” 

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. 

'Very sad to hear'

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. 

'Working with special schools, and families and carers'

“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're also looking at ways of protecting as many jobs as possible for staff at Extratime.”