Mr White wants special schools excluded from action

Ian White, of Clufflat Brae in South Queensferry, has urged unions to exclude such facilities from the strike, which began last month.

He contacted public sector union Unison to highlight the effects of industrial action on the education of his seven-year-old daughter, who attends a special needs school in Edinburgh.

Unison is currently carrying out a rolling programme of strikes as members demand a �4,000 a year pay increase.

The union is also boycotting additional duties which it claims have been added to nursery nurse responsibilities since the last pay review 15 years ago.

Many special school pupils cannot adapt to the change in routine that strike days bring and display significant behavioural problems Ian White

Mr White said the action had come at a key time in his daughter's education process.

He told BBC News Online: "The difference between my daughter and other seven-year-olds is that she has severe learning difficulties and attends an Edinburgh school for children with special needs.

"The school is unable to provide a safe and secure environment for children without the presence of nursery nurses and so classes are being suspended on strike days.

"The focus appears to be on the closure of nurseries and nursery schools and the need for parents to make alternative child care arrangements, something that I, as a parent of a hyperactive, developmentally-delayed daughter, just cannot do."

Educational disruption

His daughter has been prevented from attending school for four days in the last two weeks.

Mr White, who said he has no problem with the nurses' claim, has now been in contact with Unison.

The union told him that action had been drawn up "with the particular view in mind of minimising disruption to parents and children".

This action has not been taken lightly and is very much a last resort Bill Jamieson Unison

But he insists that the effects represent a far more fundamental educational disruption than that being suffered by nursery attendees on strike days.

"Many special school pupils cannot adapt to the change in routine that strike days bring and display significant behavioural problems," he said.

Bill Jamieson, regional officer for Unison, confirmed the union were in contact with Mr White over the issue.

He said: "We do sympathise with Mr White and are trying to address the concerns he has raised to us.