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Kids Company closure: David Cameron defends £3m grant to closed charity Kids Company closure: David Cameron defends £3m grant to closed charity
(about 1 hour later)
Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the government's decision to give charity Kids Company £3m one week before its closure, saying it had been right to give it "one last chance".Prime Minister David Cameron has defended the government's decision to give charity Kids Company £3m one week before its closure, saying it had been right to give it "one last chance".
Ministers approved the grant despite warnings from senior civil servants about the charity.Ministers approved the grant despite warnings from senior civil servants about the charity.
Mr Cameron said the grant had given the charity a final chance to restructure and to "continue its excellent work".Mr Cameron said the grant had given the charity a final chance to restructure and to "continue its excellent work".
Supporters of the closed charity have been taking part in a march in London.Supporters of the closed charity have been taking part in a march in London.
Kids Company closed on Wednesday after ministers said they wanted to recover the grant.Kids Company closed on Wednesday after ministers said they wanted to recover the grant.
The Cabinet Office said it believed conditions attached to the use of the money had not been met.The Cabinet Office said it believed conditions attached to the use of the money had not been met.
Charity founder Camila Batmanghelidjh has rejected claims of financial mismanagement at the charity. Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh said on Thursday that the charity had become "a football for the media and the civil servants" and rejected claims of financial mismanagement there.
During a visit to the National Citizen Service, a social enterprise that helps teenagers with training and life skills, Mr Cameron said: "The government thought it was the right thing to do to give this charity [Kids Company] one last chance of restructuring to try and make sure it could continue its excellent work. She said that some people in government wanted the charity to "disappear" and there had been a "malicious discrediting campaign".
Before it shut its doors, Kids Company provided practical, emotional and educational support to some of the most deprived and vulnerable inner-city children and young people in London, Liverpool and Bristol.
Mr Cameron said he was "sad" the charity had "come to an end".
During a visit to the National Citizen Service, a social enterprise that helps teenagers with training and life skills, he said: "The government thought it was the right thing to do to give this charity [Kids Company] one last chance of restructuring to try and make sure it could continue its excellent work.
"Sadly that didn't happen, not least because of the allegations that were made and private donors withdrawing their money."Sadly that didn't happen, not least because of the allegations that were made and private donors withdrawing their money.
"But I think the government was right to say 'let's have one last go', to try and keep this charity going, given the excellent work it's done for so many young people.""But I think the government was right to say 'let's have one last go', to try and keep this charity going, given the excellent work it's done for so many young people."
Mr Cameron said he was "sad" the charity had "come to an end". What did Kids Company do?
It provided services including counselling, walk-in centres with hot meals and help with housing and healthcare for children and young people whose parents were often unable to care for them.
It had branches in London, Bristol and Liverpool and employed 600 paid staff, as well as working with a pool of about 8,000 volunteers and 500 students.
What went wrong at Kids Company?
'It feels like we've lost a parent'
Kids Company has also faced accusations by former staff that the charity failed to deal with allegations of serious incidents, including sexual assaults.Kids Company has also faced accusations by former staff that the charity failed to deal with allegations of serious incidents, including sexual assaults.
The Metropolitan Police's sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse unit is investigating a number of allegations of crime involving the charity.The Metropolitan Police's sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse unit is investigating a number of allegations of crime involving the charity.
Ms Batmanghelidjh has strongly denied any wrongdoing.Ms Batmanghelidjh has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday that Kids Company had been subjected to a "trial by media" based on "rumours and conjectures".
She said reasons for the closure included a lack of funding and that it was dealing with too many serious child protection cases that should have been dealt with by government.
Individuals within the government wanted the charity to "disappear", Ms Batmanghelidjh said, partly because she was "outspoken" and highlighted child protection problems.
About 150 people gathered outside the charity's former centre in London earlier to march to Parliament to raise awareness of the vulnerable people who used the service.About 150 people gathered outside the charity's former centre in London earlier to march to Parliament to raise awareness of the vulnerable people who used the service.
Before it shut its doors, Kids Company provided practical, emotional and educational support to some of the most deprived and vulnerable inner-city children and young people in London, Liverpool and Bristol.
At the time of its closure, the charity employed 600 paid staff, as well as working with a pool of about 8,000 volunteers and 500 students.