A FAMILY will be forced to move to another county so their three profoundly deaf children can get specialist education.

Desperate grandmother Debbie Evans contacted the Times with a plea for help now that her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren may have to move to Hertfordshire.

Mum Stacey Shah, Dad Wuqaas, daughter Daisy and two-year-old twins Leo and Zak will need to move from Great Notley to St Albans so the children can attend Heathlands, a school for deaf children.

Daisy, who will be four in two weeks, attends nursery at Mildmay Junior School, in Chelmsford, because it has a resource base for hearing impaired children.

However, because Daisy is completely deaf and is fluent in sign language she needs to be taught at a faster pace and be around signing peers, a facility not offered in the district.

Miss Evans said: “My granddaughter is due to start school in September, she has a very high level of communication through BSL. There will be no other deaf or signing peers in her year, this is at a mainstream school with a resource base.

“We are all worried about her social and emotional wellbeing. When she needs to attend secondary school she will probably have to board out of county, as secondary education is delivered at a faster pace.

“The thought of sending all three of your children away is horrific. Her mum had to do this, it splits the whole family dynamics, and is especially hard on siblings.”

Mrs Shah, 25, spent her secondary education at Hamilton Lodge School and College in Brighton, despite growing up in Braintree.

She struggled at weekends and during holidays when she was separated from her signing friends and does not want the same for her children.

Heathlands School in St Albans can provide the level of education needed from age three to 19, but the family is struggling to find housing in the area.

Miss Evans said: “The worry is in primary school she is not going to have anyone in her class signing. We worry that it will drag her down.

“It’s secondary that’s very difficult, it would be good to be nearer to the deaf school in St Albans.

“They want a forever home they can grow up in.”