SOMERSET County Council has been forced into a U-turn on cuts to specialist staff which help children with severe disabilities attend and communicate in mainstream school.

Parents of children with special educational needs were alarmed in March when suddenly learning the Physical Impairment and Medical Support (PIMS) team were set to be cut and their passionate protests against seemed to have paid some dividends.

At Somerset County Council's (SCC) scrutiny committee for children and families meeting today (Friday, April 20), Julian Wooster, SCC's director of children services, conceded that the process had been 'mishandled', and confirmed that no redundancies would be put in place until at least September.

Mr Wooster told a room packed more than 40 protestors: "We have mishandled this process. We have talked to the affected parents earlier and I want to apologise to everyone in the room."

He said Somerset County Council would be taking individual meetings with parents and children to ensure the service could meet their needs going forward.

"We face difficult financial challenges and need to make sure we deliver a service that meets children's needs and is sustainable," Mr Wooster said.

The parents, children and families gathered outside County Hall complete with bright yellow T-Shirts with pictures of four of the affected children and many banners and placards decrying the council's cuts.

During the meeting, one distraught parent broke into tears as she explained how she feared she would have to take her child out of mainstream schooling in the PIMS team were dismissed.

Taunton's Sheryl Potter is mum to Gracie, who has a rare progressive illness which is slowly taking her mobility, speech and motor skills.

"We are told Somerset County Council will train other staff to step in and help fulfil the roles currently carried out by the PIMS team and bring in support if needed," she said.

"This does not make sense. Why do all that when you have the staff in place already?"

Bridgwater's Gemma Lorey has also been one of the key figures fighting the cuts. Her son Max, aged 9, has severe quadriplegia dystonic cerebral palsy.

"Max is extremely bright and attends mainstream school. However his only way to communicate is through his high-tech eye-gaze system which he uses only with his eyes," Mrs Lorey said.

"This can only happen because he is hugely reliant on the expert support of the PIMS team and they offer us home and school support to allow Max to stay in mainstream school.

"The PIMS team offer us hope. He has progressed from just 'yes' and 'no' to being able to express himself and send emails. He has told us he loves us, words we never thought we would hear."

Jonathan Cridge is a governor at Westonzoyland School, which Max attends.

"The staff and children love having Max at our school but already the cost of care exceeds the funds received by the school.

"These proposed cuts are a cut too far."

Kathrine See, West Somerset Labour Secretary, described the potential cuts and lack of consultation as a flagrant attack.

"Taking money from disabled children. You wonder how low they are prepared to stoop.

"Sending parents a letter when plans are already well underway does not count as consultation."