THE head of a Cirencester support group fears the organisation is going to be thrown into jeopardy due to a decision by the Social Services office in the town that has left her feeling baffled.

Disability Information and Support in Cotswolds (DISC) gives support to people who have mental and physical disabilities, by helping them fill in forms and giving them advice.

 Dee Drinan, who is the only DISC staff member,  planned to attend a meeting at the Cotswold Social Services Office in Lewis Lane last week with her client, a woman who is being assisted in finding a school for her young son who has learning difficulties.

But when Mrs Drinan arrived she was turned away by staff and told her she could not attend meetings at the office involving her clients because the Social Services had been acting as a mediator in a recent dispute that involved her family.

Mrs Drinan said that the dispute with her family has nothing to do with the work she does with her clients and she is now worried that she will no longer be able to give some of them support.

“I have a duty towards my clients, to help them to support them that is what DISC is,” she said.

“I am going there to help a child who has a totally different problem. I am being blacklisted.

“They cannot do that because some of my clients cannot even read and write. For some of them, I am the only one who can fill in these forms. I have a man who comes from Southrop every week just so I can read forms. Recently his wife died and I do absolutely everything for him so he doesn’t have to worry whatsoever.”

Mrs Drinan added that the decision was even more baffling as she had attended a meeting at the Social Services office with the same woman and other clients in the past.

Colin Davies, complaints manager at Gloucestershire County Council, which manages the Cotswold Social Service office, did not comment on Mrs Drinan's criticism of the Social Service Office and said if she made a complaint it would be investigated.

He said: “We haven’t received any complaints regarding our services from Mrs Drinan.However, we have responsibility to investigate any and all complaints made with us, and there area number of ways in which you can contact us.”