A charity that runs a preschool for disabled children in Surrey has announced the school will close because of a lack of funding, rising costs and “difficulty in recruiting qualified staff”.
Disability Challengers provides play and leisure opportunities for disabled and young people aged between two and 18.
The charity runs a preschool at its play centre in Stoke Park, Guildford but said the school would close at the end of the summer term in July.
Three staff members are expected to lose their jobs following the preschool’s closure.
Gen Dearman, chief executive of Disability Challengers, said the charity had been using its charitable reserves to fund the preschool’s deficit for “a number of years”.
Disability Challengers had an income of £2.6m for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.
The charity’s income has fallen each year from a high of £3.9m for the 2018 financial year.
“Unfortunately we cannot continue without affecting the wider charity,” said Dearman.
“Closure of a service is always a last resort.
“We are very sad to be saying goodbye to the wonderful children and families we have been honoured to get to know.
“We have tried to give parents as much notice as possible, and are here to support families to find suitable alternatives.”
The charity said it explored all avenues but “no viable solution” to save the preschool could be found.
Disability Challengers said it was working with the relevant authorities to help identify appropriate preschool or nursery alternatives for any children who were not starting school in September.
“This includes some spaces at their Farnham preschool, which will remain open,” said the charity.
The charity has confirmed that this closure will only affect its Guildford pre-school, and that all other Challengers services will operate as normal.