The Notre Dame Centre has been operating since 1931.
A 96-year old charity-run children’s centre in Glasgow is facing closure after its funding was cut.
The Notre Dame Centre, which supports children experiencing emotional and psychological distress, has warned it could close in 90 days.
At present, around 100 families are on the books of the Possilpark-based group, but its main income streams – provided by Glasgow City Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – have been cut.
The Herald reports that a letter sent to parents and carers, asking them to write to MSPs and Councillors, says the centre could shut by June 30th.
One source at the Centre told the newspaper: “This has all come as a shock and it’s really hard to work out what the next step will be for us.
“We are scrabbling around for funds and to find other backers, but if the position doesn’t change, the centre will have to close.”
A parent who spoke to The Herald, said that the facility had helped his child “flourish”, and changed their lives “beyond recognition”.
They added: “The short-sightedness of this decision is mind-boggling and will leave a scar on this city for years to come and result in a large number of children not being able to rely on carers who will understand what they are going through and respond in a compassionate and child-centred way.
“The shock announcement this week of the withdrawal of funding from such a specialist and family orientated service is not only significant in terms of the impact on children but also on parents and carers.
“This is the only service that provides the parallel support, that responds to the needs of parents as well as the child and provides an ongoing framework for parents to develop the skills they need to nurture the children who most need them every day.
“To wrench this funding away from those families, including my own, is devastating.”
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman told the Herald: “Glasgow City Council has invested in a significant and expanding range of services for children and young people in order to support their mental health and wellbeing.
“Due to the availability and effectiveness of alternative provision through our new Embedded Supports Contract framework, and a shift towards providing support in schools and local community hubs, accessible even during school holidays, the current contract will not be extended.
“A three-month period has been agreed to arrange alternative support for existing service users.”
A spokesperson for NHSGCC added: "NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Specialist Children’s Service (SCS), in partnership with Glasgow City Social Work Services and Glasgow City Education, previously commissioned the Notre Dame Centre to deliver therapeutic services for children and young people.
"The two-year contract included the provision of services to improve the mental health, relationships, functioning and well-being of children and families affected by issues relating to neglect, trauma and family breakdown.
"This was a fixed term contract which commenced on 1st April 2023, and as such has come up for review.
"In recent years, NHSGGC’s SCS has developed preferred and enhanced clinical pathways for dealing with children referred for therapeutic support. As a result, we, along with the other two commissioning partners, have decided not to continue with the current arrangement with the Notre Dame Centre.
"By integrating services within local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, we will ensure that therapeutic support is accessible to all children and families within the health board, regardless of their location.
"We have agreed and extended the notice period to the end of June to ensure the completion of interventions for children currently engaged with Notre Dame."
