A WOMAN says she is being forced to move home because the local education authority will not pay her son's travel costs so that he can attend the special school of her choice.

Cheryl Hazell, of York Road, North Weald, is having to uproot her two children and move to Chelmsford, so that her autistic son, Nicholas, can easily reach his school in the town.

She said: "I don't want to move because my friends and family are here, but I've reached the end of the line. I have a special needs son and it seems I'm being punished for it over and over again."

The Special Educational Needs and Psychology Service (SENaPS) named the Hayward School in Chelmsford as the most appropriate for his needs. But Essex County Council will only transport him to the nearest special school to North Weald, in Harlow or Loughton, and not the one that his mother prefers.

Nicholas's place at Hayward School was on condition that he was driven to school but after her divorce Mrs Hazell can no longer work and do the 60-mile round trip each day.

Since Nicholas started at the school in May, Mrs Hazell has had to give up her day job and work nights to be around to transport him. Neighbours and relatives take her other son, Matthew, to school, which Mrs Hazell admits is heartbreaking.

She said: "My son deserves better and I will up my life to provide that. SENaPS say they want disabled children to be included in society but they don't want to give those children the best opportunities.

"Surely it's better to invest in those children now and give them a chance to get a job and offer something back to the community. By having a suitable education, he has the opportunity to live independently and not end up in an institution unable to cope with life."

Autistic children lack the ability to imitate and suffer from social, communication and behavioural problems. They have to be taught everything, so Mrs Hazell wants Nicholas to learn in a separate autistic unit which is only available at the Hayward.

She said: "The local education authority will take him to Harlowfields (Harlow) and Oak View (Loughton) where he would be in a class with special needs pupils who all have different problems.

"In a secure autistic unit, each class has the same mental age and the children meet each others boundaries. If Nicholas starts biting a child that is blind, they won't know what to do, but if he bites another autistic child, they will bite him back. His class is specific to dealing with autism which will integrate him into life and give him a chance."

It will cost £11,500 each year to transport Nicholas to and from Hayward school, although last year the education authority offered to pay £11,200 to take him to a special needs nursery in Loughton.

A county council spokesman said because Mrs Hazell had signed a disclaimer saying she would transport Nicholas to Chelmsford they would not take him. And whilst they appreciated the change in her circumstances, they were not exceptional.

Mrs Hazell has the backing of Hayward headteacher Malcolm Reeve and county councillor Wendy Cole, who said: "Officers at SENaPS advised me there was a closer special school to Nicholas's home, where he would receive 'adequate' provision, and to which he would be entitled to free transport. I questioned why we were offering only 'adequate' provision, when in mainstream schools we're demanding the best."

Mrs Hazell said: "The house is sold and I'm resigned to the fact I have to move. Matthew is worried about leaving his friends and I haven't a clue how Nicholas will take it.

"He's coming on in leaps and bounds at the Hayward so I know I'm doing the right thing. But the situation is so unfair."