The Forum for Maintained Nursery Schools and Children's Centres, set up in 2001 and administered by Early Education, had its funding discontinued at the end of March.
But members of the steering group have decided to reinvent the Forum and run it on a voluntary basis while looking for alternative sources of funding.
Pauline Trudell, support headteacher to the Forum, whose contract ended on 31 March, said, 'The group remains committed to developing effective practice within high-quality children's centres. The expansion of the children's centre programme has been accompanied by a contraction of the number of nursery schools and a withdrawal of Government support for the Forum.'
The steering group will be holding three open forums a year - the first on 14 July at Early Education in London. For information see www.early-education.org.uk.