With the backing of 620 supporters in their Facebook campaign, parents are pushing for a school in Officer to cater for children with

autism and intellectual disabilities.

They support a draft Officer precinct structure plan, prepared by Cardinia Shire Council, which proposes a site for a "special school" on McMullen Road.

The parents want the school to be similar to Cranbourne's Marnebek School, which caters for students with mild, moderate and profound intellectual disabilities.

Narre Warren North resident Cathy Smith, whose 10-year-old son Mitchell attends Dandenong's Emerson School, said some children were taking exhausting bus trips to get to school.

"Mitchell has to travel a long way for a good education, and that's not fair," she said.

"And I know there are lots of people who have to travel further than we do."

Pakenham resident Amanda Davey, whose nine-year-old son Brodie is also at Emerson School, said a special needs school in Officer would stop families from trying to "make do" with mainstream schools.

"It's needed because there are so many kids in Casey and Cardinia who have special needs, and they have to travel so far," she said.

"So they are left to try mainstream, and mainstream doesn't always work."

Gembrook Labor MP Tammy Lobato said the state government had agreed to plan a special-needs school in Officer.

"A demographic study is now under way to assess the types of special education required in Casey and Cardinia and for the location for new facilities," she said.

The Liberal candidate for Gembrook, Brad Battin, agreed that there was a need for a special-needs school in Officer and said the first step was to obtain a suitable site. "The first thing we need is a commitment of land and then you can push the process from there."

Neither Ms Lobato nor Mr Battin committed to a time frame for building the school.

Ms Smith said the school was needed urgently and it should be built in the next political term.

"We need this to happen as soon as possible. Five years or more is too long for hundreds of children in our region.

"They will miss out on accessing an appropriate education."