A CHARITY that runs a Sure Start service for 1,600 children has said all 50 of its staff posts are at risk as government funding runs out at the end of this month.
Workers at the south Belfast scheme, which has been running for 17 years, received protective redundancy letters yesterday from their board of directors informing them of their notice.
Funded by the Department of Education and rolled out through the Health and Social Care Board, there are 39 Sure Start programmes across Northern Ireland which provide pre-school support to children and their families.
Tens of thousands of those who use the service come from disadvantaged backgrounds, including migrant families. A bi-lingual service operates in Belfast for Chinese families.
Joy Poots, who has been project co-ordinator of South Belfast Sure Start since it started, said the collapse of Stormont and no agreed budget had led to the crisis.
In a statement to The Irish News last night, the Department of Education confirmed it is facing major financial pressures over the next year if it is to operate within a budget announced by the Secretary of State in April.
"Consequently options to reduce spending across all programme areas are being explored," a spokeswoman said.
She was unable to say how many of the 39 Sure Start centres in Northern Ireland would be affected.
"Final decisions on the scale of the budget reductions have not been taken on all areas and will depend on the department’s final budget allocation. Those decisions that have been made have been communicated to the relevant organisations."
Ms Poots said more than 800 children and parents take part in its programmes each week, stretching from Taughmonagh to the Markets area of the city.
"We usually receive confirmation of funding in April for the next year ahead but for the first time in 17 years we only got money to see us through until the end of July.
"Despite repeated calls to the Department of Education and Health and Social Care Board we have heard nothing back so we have no choice but to give our staff notice. Many of them have been here since the service started and would be on close to minimum wage but do fantastic work.
"I suppose we are considered as the wee people on the ground and don't matter to politicians but Sure Start helps thousands of children and their families. You can be sure we are not alone in being affected by the cuts."
Considered one of the Labour Party's most successful policies, Sure Start was created in 1998 with the aim of giving children the best start in life.
Programmes to improve learning skills, health and well-being as well as social development are hugely popular across the north.
In 2015 there was an outcry in England after it emerged that15 Sure Start centres had closed.
The Pre-school Learning Alliance, which campaigns on early years issues, said the scale of closures run counter to the British government's drive to improving life chances across society.
