On Thursday Sonia Facey was encouraged by the interest of shoppers at Dapto Mall in her attempt to collect more than 10,000 signatures in order to have the issue debated in state parliament.

Ms Facey is one of a number of parents of intellectually and physically disabled children who rely on access to overnight respite at the Bong Bong Road centre.

Her continued pressure has led to the centre – one of five such centres under review by the state government – being given a reprieve until July 2016.

However with no similar service available in the region, she said the closure of the Dapto centre would be ‘‘devastating’’ for parents.

Ms Facey’s 13-year-old son Nathan was diagnosed with autism at age four, and at age seven his condition worsened after he was hit by a car.

‘‘Nathan is a loveable kid but he has a violent side which is hard to handle and which the family needs a break from,’’ she said. 

‘‘For the past three years we have had access to 16 days of respite every three months and it gives us a chance to spend time together and go out into the community, which we can’t do with Nathan as we never know what’s going to happen.’’

Public Service Association Illawarra delegate Shane Elliott said children with disabilities and their families would suffer under the centre’s closure, as would the 10 staff.

‘‘We were told that the arrival of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was meant to increase choice for people with disability and their families or carers, but the families who use Dapto Respite Centre don’t look like they will get a choice to stay with that service that has served them so well,’’ Mr Elliott said.

‘‘They are being kept in the dark about the future of the care for their children – and staff are being kept in the dark about their jobs.’’

Under the transition to the NDIS in NSW, the state will transfer its Ageing, Disability and Home Care workers to the private sector. 

However, Mr Elliott said this would see the erosion of pay and conditions for staff.

‘‘It will force a workforce crisis in this sector as staff will vote on their feet – and walk away,’’ he said. 

‘‘They won’t want to continue to do these difficult jobs for two-thirds or half the wages and conditions.’’

NSW Minister for Disability Services John Ajaka said families could continue to access the Dapto centre.

However as the state transitioned to the NDIS, the government’s focus was on increasing the availability of individualised funding to support people with disability, their family and carers to access a ‘‘greater range of flexible support options’’, Mr Ajaka said.

‘‘Families who currently use the Dapto respite centre are being offered individualised [flexible respite] funding as we prepare for the full roll-out of the NDIS,’’ he said.