The new play service has been introduced after Camden Council closed all of their play projects in August to make savings of between £80m and £100 over three years.
Camden Council said that the difficult financial climate meant they had to cut their budget for play services from £4.3 million to £1.5 million.
Run in partnership with the voluntary and community sector, the council’s new play service is designed to provide high quality, low cost childcare and play services for children, including those with disabilities and from low-income families, after school and during the summer holidays.
The council is also providing 375 subsidised places for working families on low-incomes.
Providers running the new play service, which is linked with 38 of the borough’s 40 schools, include:
- NW5 Community Play Project, which provides care for children under the age of eight
- Coram Fields, a seven-acre playground for children and young people
- PACE (Play Adventure and Community Enrichment)
- Adventure Play 4 All (3 Acres Consortium)
- Hampstead Community Centre After School Playcentre and Holiday Playscheme
- Maiden Lane Community Centre
Councillor Nasmin Ali, Camden Council’s cabinet member for young people, said, ‘I’m pleased that we have been able to continue the play provision. We had to reduce the costs of the service but recognised how important the service is to lots of families, particularly low-income working families.
‘We consulted with as many families, parents and guardians as possible and I am confident that we have now got the best possible outcomes for them.’
