In December Ms Keneally pledged that the children, from rural and remote areas, would not be left without the programs the school offers until an alternative was in place.

"We want to ensure that parents have certainty until an improved service is up and running," said Ms Keneally, who pledged her premiership on putting the disadvantaged ''at the centre of government''.

But the Dalwood Assessment Centre and Palm Avenue boarding school at Seaforth has been shut, and the 15 specialised staff made redundant. Health and education officials have not been able to find a new location to house the 100 or so children already referred for a four-week stay over the next two terms and cannot agree on an alternative program.

Parents are confused and disillusioned. Yesterday Michelle Bolte was told her daughter Kate, 12, would not receive the month-long face-to-face literacy and language program this year despite qualifying in December. Yet on January 20 she received a letter from the Education Minister, Verity Firth, reaffirming Ms Keneally's promise that the residential service was going to remain open until at least June.

Maria Cameron, Merriwa, was told her son could instead access an outreach program using video-conferencing and electronic whiteboards. However his small country school does not have the necessary equipment.

''It's a schemozzle, a total mess, nobody wants to take responsibility,'' said Mrs Cameron. ''Our kids can't wait while they squabble.''

Adrian Piccoli, the opposition spokesman for education, said: ''This is classic state Labor, making a big announcement to the media, but then failing to follow it up with any meaningful action.''

The school was the only one in Australia that provided residential intensive individualised programs created by a team of teachers, psychologists and speech pathologists.

Ms Keneally stepped in after the Herald publicised the decision to close the school and Ms Firth admitted that her assurance of a new model ready ''by day one, term one 2010'' would fail.

The Greens MP John Kaye said evidence shows the Dalwood model has been successful for hundreds of remote students with learning difficulties.

A spokeswoman for Ms Firth said there had been no change to the commitment made in December. NSW Health was continuing to receive referrals, she said, however no students had been given a place yet.