PARENTS are angry at plans to close a Blackwood nursery which cares for children with disabilities.

Caerphilly council plans to close Wooden Spoon Nursery, part of the Blackwood Resource Centre on Lilian Road, which it runs with Action for Children from the end of July.

The nursery provides free care for around 25 children from birth up to the age of three and a half, and employs three part-time staff.

But parents say the nursery is essential, acting as a central place for children to have appointments with different medical professionals, and that other care would not be specialised for their children's needs.

Oakdale parent Elicia Taylour, whose three-year-old son Bailey has spina bifida, said the decision comes down to money.

Mrs Taylour, whose eight-year-old daughter Alisha also has spina bifida and went to Wooden Spoon before she started mainstream school, said: “The council is saying it can provide for them in the community and that this setting is unnecessary. But this setting is going to stay and so the overheads are going to stay the same. All they will save is three part-time wages - it’s not big numbers to the council.”

Even though Bailey is due to finish Wooden Spoon in July Mrs Taylour said she wants the facility to be there for other children who can benefit from it.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Shay Earp spends one day a week at Wooden Spoon.

The little boy has pierre robin syndrome which affects his breathing.

His mum Claire Morgan said: "If this shuts, we don’t know what we’ll have and Shay will get lost in the system. It’s not just a brilliant place for the children but for the parents as well to give help and advice to each other.”

Kristy Lucas’ two-year-old son Cole Lucas was recently diagnosed with autism.

She said: “The staff helped me find out information about his diagnosis. This is the only point of support.”

Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix said he had been contacted by concerned parents about the proposed closure, and called on Caerphilly's new leader Cllr Allan Prtchards to support parents and "stop trying to penny pinch".

But Caerphilly council said the closure plan is part of its aim to improve services for children with disabilities in the area.

A council spokesman said it plans to extend the provision at Caerphilly Children's Centre - eight miles away from Wooden Spoon - to establish a new centre of excellence. This will have a fully equipped assessment centre and nursery provision for children with disabilities and there are also plans to increase community based play opportunities.

Any money saved from the changes will be reinvested in services for children with disabilities.

A consultation meeting for Wooden Spoon families will take place on June 6 at which parents plan to hand over a petition.