A closing children’s charity has expressed disappointment at “inaccurate and damaging” allegations regarding trustee pay.
The Suffolk Parent Carer Forum this week said it was closing with “great sadness”, also citing a loss of funding from the Department for Education.
The charity is run by parents, carers and family members who provide support to children and young people aged up to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities.
The SPCF recorded an income of £64,173, costs of £37,734, and had four trustees, according to its latest accounts for the year to the end of March 2025.
The charity said it was “particularly disappointing” that “inaccurate and damaging allegations” had been circulated about its trustees, causing “significant distress”.
The charity said in a statement: “As part of this process, we feel it is important to clarify that the trustees have always served on a voluntary basis and have never received payment for their time, work or commitment to the charity.”
The SCPF said it was closing “due to circumstances beyond the trustees’ control”.
The charity said: “This includes not being able to receive the funding that enables us to continue to be the Department for Education-funded forum.
“We are extremely sorry that we have been unable to make a public statement earlier, which is due to procedures, some of which are confidential, that needed to be followed.”
The charity has received £17,500 in grant funding from the DfE through the disability charity Contact since 2021/22.
A spokesperson for Contact said: “We have been working with SPCF to support them to meet the grant application terms, and are grateful for the cooperation they have shown throughout this process.
“While this information was being gathered activity had to be paused. This was intended to provide space for clarity about whether SPCF could meet the grant application terms, and to avoid placing additional pressure on the organisation during an already challenging period.
“Based on the information available, we concluded that it would not be appropriate for SPCF to continue holding the DfE grant.
“This decision was made with care, and does not reflect a lack of commitment, effort or good faith on the part of those leading the organisation.”
The SPCF is entering a formal winding-up process with the Charity Commission informed throughout, the charity said.
“Redundancy notices have been issued to staff, and any remaining funding will be returned to funders upon closure,” the SPCF said.
It is not clear how many staff posts are at risk because of the charity’s impending closure.
“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved together and grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout our journey.
“While much progress has been made, we recognise that there is still a long way to go to ensure that all children and young people with SEND, and their families, receive the services and support to which they are legally entitled.”
The SPCF said a new forum was being established and the organisation “wishes those involved every success in continuing this important work”.
The Suffolk Parent Carer Forum has been contacted for more details on staff numbers and potential redundancies due to its impending closure.