by Our News Desk

THOUSANDS of vulnerable youngsters’ lives were put at risk yesterday as the charity Kids Company closed in the wake of financial mismanagement allegations.

The organisation closed at 5pm, leaving 36,000 young people unsupported, despite receiving a £3 million government grant last week to make changes to its governance.

Acting Labour Party leader ­Harriet Harman, whose ­Camberwell and Peckham constituency was served by Kids Company, demanded a rescue plan for the youngsters the charity worked with. 

“These children and young people must be protected and supported,” she said.

“Such vulnerable young people must not suffer as a result of the breakdown of government confidence in Kids Company.”

Vultures began to circle the charity when Treasury civil servants began to question the uses to which continuing government grants were being put and high-profile campaigner and founder Camila Batmanghelidjh was forced to quit as chief executive.

Sources say the government is now trying to claw back some of £3m grant on the grounds it wasn’t being spent properly.

Ms Batmanghelidjh allegedly emailed staff to say their wages would be paid from the grant.

Kids Company provided emotional and material support to inner-city young people whose parents were unable to care for them.

Some local authorities have already said that they would reopen services run by Kids Company as soon as practicable.

However, Ms Harman warned that “the government must ensure that local authorities and voluntary organisations have the resources they need to make sure that the children and young people who are being supported by Kids Company will not be without that support.”