Christchurch before and after-school care programmes MASH and CASPA go into liquidation

By RNZ

The company behind the before and after-school care and holiday programmes Mash Kids, Caspa and Magic Kids has been placed in liquidation.

On Thursday, staff at Christchurch-based after-school care programmes MASH and CASPA were told that the programmes would close.

Parents arrived at one school on Friday morning to find no one there to look after their children. Photo / RNZ / Dan Satherley

Parents arrived at one school on Friday morning to find no one there to look after their children, while others were contemplating dropping working hours or study and worried they would not get refunds for prepaid care.

Brenton Hunt from Insolvency Matters confirmed that last night MASH International and CASPA New Zealand went into liquidation and the centres were permanently closed.

Owner Craig Fortune had emailed staff, telling them the company had major cashflow problems.

He promised them he would do everything he could to ensure that their wages would be paid in full.

- RNZ