Investing in services for children and young people in the New Forest

Monday, 08 October 2012

Organisations in the New Forest running services for children and young people, including a counselling services, a youth support group and children's day care places, have been given a cash boost thanks to grants from Hampshire County Council totalling more than £18,000.

The funding is part of more than £200,000 awarded to projects countywide and agreed by Councillor Roy Perry, Hampshire County Council's Executive Lead Member for Children's Services at his recent decision day. The grants for a range of services across the county have been made from three funding streams: Children's Services Integrated Grants, Youth Support Services Grants and the New and expanding Places and Sustainability Grants for Services for Young Children.

The recipients in the New Forest are:

• Parent Link, £2,700 to help support Extended Colors, a club for young people with severe learning difficulties between the ages of 19 and 25
• It's Your Choice, £4,970, to help fund a youth counselling service
• 30 day care places in Blackfield, £10,767

The package of grants also includes more than £46,000 awarded to organisations working with children and young people in a range of countywide projects. Those projects are:

• Youth Options, £12,535 for post adoption support
• Wessex Children';s Hospice, £5,000 to provide activities and support to children whose siblings have life limiting illnesses
• Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Counselling Services, £14,206, to help fund a young people's counselling programme in Hampshire
• Family Lives, £5,934 to help provide a family support programme in Hampshire
• Andover and District Mencap, £8,722 to help an activity club for young people with learning disabilities and a Duke of Edinburgh award scheme

Making a real difference

Commenting Councillor Perry said:

"I am pleased that we are maintaining high levels of support to the voluntary sector to provide a range of services for children and young people.

"These grants will enable the voluntary sector to continue to develop a range of services, support, and recreational opportunities across the county to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.

"The recipients of these grants have all demonstrated that their projects make a real difference to the lives of children and young people.

"As part of the County Council's statutory role to ensure sufficient early years education provision is available in Hampshire I am pleased to agree the grants to providers to support the development and sustainability of places within pre-school and day care provision."

• Children's Services Grants

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