Many of the parents hit by school strikes are to be offered child care places by the unions involved.

Unison and GMB are organising 60 free places for the pupils whose schools will shut during the teaching assistants' next walkout in the New Year.

The unions have agreed to spend £700 to pay for a private child care firm to provide the places on a first-come, first-served basis at locations yet to be decided in the city.

More than 9,000 children are expected to be sent home as the teaching assistants stage a fourth day of strike action.

Pickets and protests will be held on Tuesday, January 6 when pupils would normally be returning to school after the holiday.

Talks were taking place today in a bid to halt the strike but neither the unions nor the council was optimistic of a breakthrough.

All but one of the special schools looking after children with disabilities and learning difficulties will be forced to shut.

Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed it had no plans to provide extra child care during the strikes.

Alex Knutsen, branch secretary of Unison at the council, said: "Our members recognise the strikes are causing problems for people, including for our own members as many of them are parents.

"We are looking to help people who are in dire straits because of the action we have been forced to take."

Brighton and Hove branch has set aside £40,000 to fund the strikes with another £100,000 expected from national funds.

The nursery places will need to be pre-booked and a hotline number will be announced nearer the date of the strike.

Parents will be asked to donate £10 where possible to help fund child care during any further industrial action.