Jobs are at risk at a local children’s umbrella body in north London after the charity temporarily stopped accepting entrants at one of its sites due to financial challenges.
The Islington Play Association has informed staff that jobs could be at risk of redundancy as part of a formal consultation, the charity said.
The IPA provides advice, support and training for local voluntary sector play and childcare providers.
The charity also manages four adventure playgrounds and the Paradise Park Children’s Centre and Nursery.
“The IPA is pausing new nursery entrants to Paradise Park Children’s Centre,” the charity said in a statement.
“As a result of a number of external and operational factors, the trustees are currently considering a range of strategic options for IPA.
“We want to reassure our community that IPA currently continues to operate and deliver its services, and we are continuing to meet our obligations to suppliers in the usual way.”
The charity said the external and operational factors that led to this move “include ongoing permanent staffing challenges, changes in funding and increasing operation costs, such as significant repairs bills, rising energy costs, changes in National Insurance contributions, the London Living Wage and the increased cost of resources and supplies”.
The IPA has 29 staff, local media reported, but nobody from the charity was available to confirm this figure for Third Sector.
The IPA recorded an income of £1.4m and had 40 employees, according to its accounts for the year to the end of March 2025.
“In line with employment law, IPA staff in affected areas have been notified that their roles are at risk of redundancy,” the charity’s statement said.
“We are engaging with staff and their representatives in a formal consultation process before any decisions are made.
“Our aim is to explore all reasonable options to avoid redundancies, reduce the number of roles affected and mitigate any impact.”
The IPA said it was aware of the “valuable services” that its adventure playgrounds and the PPCN provided to local communities.
“We will continue to explore strategic options for IPA with support from expert legal and professional advisors,” the charity said.
“We are committed to operating in a responsible, transparent and legally compliant way that minimises any disruption to our community.”
IPA has been contacted for comment.