THE future of Hampshire’s vulnerable children could be put at risk by changes to vital services.

Children and young people with deafness and vision impairment could be left behind as the way they receive support in schools is set to change from September.

The decision is part of a Hampshire County Council’s move which is understood will save £708,000.

The authority said the changes will ensure that specialist support will continue to be provided, while taking account of a “very challenging financial environment”.

But parents and charities hit back saying the changes will have a devastating effect on children’s future and said Hampshire County Council (HCC) has decided that pounds and pence are more important than a good education.

The National Deaf Children’s Society and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said the changes to the Specialist Teacher Advisory Service (STAS) which were approved by HCC officers at the end of May will see fewer support visits from specialist staff for pupils with mild deafness, a reduction in support from specialist teachers and mobility instructors for children with vision impairment, as well as fewer one-to-one visits and a reduction in specialised staff.

Susan White from Romsey, said for her 11-year-old son Oliver this could mean having to leave mainstream education and his friends to attend a specialist school.

The Cupernham Junior School pupil has blue cone monochromatism, which means he is unable to see fine detail, needing everything enlarged. He is also completely colour blind, and has nystagmus, which means his eyes move uncontrollably.

Ms White said he has been well supported so far and teachers have adapted each lesson to his needs.

But now she fears that the changes will mean he won’t receive the same support and will be left behind.

The 46-year-old audiological scientist added: “If he has to move school he will be devastated. He should be given the support to do just as well as all his friends and reach his full potential.”

Ms White said the county council is denying vulnerable children a better future.

“It could be all completely avoided. Their future looks very sad,” the mother of two added.

Now parents, the National Deaf Children’s Society and the RNIB are calling on the council to reverse its decision and make sure councillors have their say on the proposal which was approved by officers.

Martin Thacker MBE, inset, deputy director at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Decisions on this scale should be made by elected members. The small savings are nothing compared to the massive consequences these cuts will have on a child’s life. Unless they’re willing to gamble with deaf children’s futures, they must listen to the strength of feeling in the community, step in and do the right thing by putting a stop to these cuts once and for all.”

RNIB’s head of social change Abigail Fitzgibbon added: “The cuts mean a 25% reduction in staffing levels, with highly specialised staff being replaced by one part-time teaching assistant, which is very concerning. We are calling on Hampshire County Council to immediately reverse its decision so children and young people with vision impairment are not prevented from participating fully in school and extracurricular activities.”

When asked if the changes will include those claimed by the charities and if it is true that there will be fewer support visits for children, HCC said a restructure of the team will enable the service to be more responsive and flexible.

It said this will mean that children will be visited based on need rather than impairment and those with higher need may be visited more frequently. Alternative methods of receiving support such as online resources will also be available for schools to help them meet the requirements of pupils with lower levels of need, HCC said.

A spokesperson for the authority added: “The county council recognises the very specific educational needs of these vulnerable children, and is committed to working closely with schools, and parents, to ensure their needs continue to be met – which is reflected in the adjustments to the service. We understand that while for some children this will mean support being delivered in a different way, which may be unsettling to start with, everything will be managed sensitively and tailored to the child’s individual needs.”

The authority said the changes will result in the loss of two members of staff but a specialist teaching assistant for visual impairment, a technician, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist and a speech and language therapy assistant will be employed. Concerns were also raised over the impact the changes will have on the caseload for teachers. HCC said new training will be available to assist schools to build their capacity to meet children’s needs.