Coram's children's future
Sir: In her letter (9 February) Alexandra Artley asks, 'What is the Thomas Coram Foundation for?' She mentions only our work with the under fives, but perhaps she should refresh her memory from her article (21 October 1989) in which she refers to our work with young people leaving care and describes at length the help we give to homeless families in bed and breakfast hotels. She could also have mentioned the work of our special needs Adoption Ser- vice and the access facilities provided by our Meeting Place project.
We were very grateful to her for her article which did indeed result in a substan- tial number of donations towards our work for needy children. However, unless chal- lenged, her very misleading letter could have the reverse effect and do a positive disservice to the very children about whom she expresses so much concern.
It would have been better if Miss Artley had checked her facts with the Foundation before writing her letter. Had she done so, she would have known that we are being forced to close the Children's Centre be- cause it is becoming structurally unsafe as a result of severe subsidence. We have been professionally advised that it would cost over £1 million to underpin the founda- tions. Clearly it would not be financially sensible to spend a sum of this magnitude on patching up a 55-year-old building, which is not in any case ideal for its present day use.
Instead, we will be launching an appeal to raise funds to rebuilt the site to provide improved facilities for children. Given the huge cost of such a project, we would be very short-sighted indeed, and open to considerable criticism, if we did not first assess the early childhood needs of the local community to establish the highest priorities.
In the meantime, a working party, with representatives from the Foundation, the London Borough of Camden and the parents, is urgently seeking alternative provision for the children remaining in the present Centre when it closes in July. Miss Artley may be interested to know that temporary accommodation on land owned by St George the Martyr, Queen Square, to which she refers in her letter, is one of the possibilities being examined.
We have cared for needy and disadvan- taged children for over 250 years. No one should doubt our will to continue.
Colin Masters
Director and Secretary, Thomas Coram Foundation for Children, 40 Brunswick Square, London WC1
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