THE mother of a diabetic child claims she was left in limbo for nearly the whole summer holiday before learning that her son could return to school this term.

Charlotte Hawkins, 25, from Epping was provided with transport to and from St Andrew's school in North Weald so she could inject her eight-year-old, Ben, with insulin to treat his condition.

The service was provided by Essex County Council after the Guardian reported on the fact that there was no-one at the school qualified to give Ben the injections that he needs.

But at the beginning of the holidays she was told that transport would no longer be provided this term, and after spending nearly six weeks trying to ensure her son could go back to school, Ms Hawkins has only just managed to have the service restored.

She said: “Everything was only sorted out just a couple of days before school started back so up until then we didn't know if he could go or not. I was getting quite stressed out about it.

"I was told that they wouldn't provide the transport any longer to take me to the school and I had no idea what I could do about it.

"But now they have said I can use the transport again and they are looking into training someone at the school to inject my son.

"But I shouldn't have to go through all this and have all this stress. There's no support and if I hadn't fought for this then my son wouldn't be going to school this term.”

Ms Hawkins is now campaigning for greater support in schools for children with diabetes.

More than 500 people have so far joined Ms Hawkins campaign on Facebook and she has written letters to the Prime Minister demanding that schools be obliged to provide staff qualified to inject young children with insulin.

She said: “I've been told that Ben should be able to inject himself by now, I've had to give up my college course to go into school everyday and I had a service taken away from me without any reason.

"I shouldn't have to fight for my son to go to school. Something needs to change, and I hope that when everything is sorted out I can use my experience to help other people.”

A spokesman for Essex County Council said the transport was only intended as a temporary measure while the school nurse received training to administer the daily injection.

He added: “We are waiting to receive confirmation from the school that the school nurse has received the training required and we will then take a final decision on this case.”