NURSERY officers caring for disabled children are to be balloted over industrial action after being forced to quit their jobs.

The T&G union is fighting Lancashire County Council plans to scrap all nine posts at child development centres across the county and redeploy the workers.

Les Parker, branch secretary for the union, said he was also appealing to the public to oppose the cost-cutting move, that would save £215,000-a-year.

He said the council was abolishing a vital service that helped disabled children and their families with social and educational needs.

But the council said the workers would be redeployed, would get a pay rise, and disabled children's needs would still be catered for.

"The council are proposing to turn their roles into family community support officers.

"This would mean dealing with children aged 0 to 18, and it could be children involved in criminal activities, or dysfunctional families.

"There will be no special team to deal with disabled children or their families."

He called on the people of Lancashire to make their voices heard and to call on the council to cancel its plans.

He said the increase in pay was not a pay-rise because staff would be required to work longer hours under the arrangement.

The centres were set up more than 20 years ago, and also house health professionals who look after the children's physical needs.

Coun Marcus Johnstone, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "The nine people involved will be re-deployed and will be on higher salaries.

"The posts have been disestablished and we froze vacancies, so no one is being made redundant."

He said the needs of all families using the service would be assessed and they would continue to receive a service but delivered through another centre.