Cambridgeshire County Council children's support service job fears

Cambridgeshire County Council early help services department helps support families with children, which are experiencing problems, through early intervention

Children's support services in Cambridgeshire will suffer if the county goes ahead with plans to cut 44 jobs, a union has warned.

Cambridgeshire County Council is looking to save just under £6m from the £19m department budget between 2013-14 and 2016-17.

The council has said possible job cuts would not affect services.

But union Unison said it could hit provision for "vulnerable" children and will have an impact on services.

The early help services department helps support families with children which are experiencing problems, through early intervention.

'Most vulnerable'

It also helps support children with disabilities or learning difficulties in schools.

A report to the council's children and young people committee, which meets on Tuesday, says 44 members of staff are at risk of redundancy to meet the savings target.

The posts proposed to be cut include a parent support manager, a children's centre service manager and a parenting early intervention co-ordinator.

Robert Turner, Unison branch secretary, representing workers at the county council, said: "We don't think any jobs should be placed at risk.

"It has got to make an impact on the services the department is delivering and once again it is the most vulnerable taking the biggest hit."

The council said it did not want to comment until after the meeting but added that the services are not expected to be cut.