Can you imagine a world without sound? For deaf or hearing-impaired children this world is a reality, but it doesn�t have to be. The Shepherd Centre�s auditory/oral program aims to teach children who are deaf and hearing-impaired to listen, understand language and speak. The Centre works with infants and pre-school aged children with the aim of fully integrating them into the school system. A unique learning facility: Dr Bruce Shepherd and his late wife Annette established The Shepherd Centre in 1970. At this time no suitable teaching programs for the integration of deaf children into the mainstream schooling system existed in Australia. Since 1970 the Centre has grown from five to 130 families, serviced by Centres at Sydney, Chatswood, Merrylands, Wollongong and Bathurst, plus a National Correspondence Program for isolated families which is linked to the Sydney Centre. In addition, pre-school transition programs are conducted at the Merrylands and Wollongong centres whereby equal numbers of hearing and hearing-impaired children attend. With a focus on speech and language, the transition program facilitates the children�s integration into a mainstream educational setting. The Shepherd Centre is a leader in Australia providing an oral education to pre-school aged deaf and hearing-impaired children. We are a free service: A family focused organisation, The Shepherd Centre helps parents develop the skills they need to teach and make decisions for their children with hearing-impairment or deafness. It teaches children with a hearing-impairment to listen, understand language and speak, providing an intensive, personalised, educational service, at no cost to the families that use them. With 93% of recent graduates being successfully integrated into the mainstream schooling system, this year�s 30th Anniversary is really a cause for celebration! As less than 30% of the Centre�s operational costs are received from recurrent government grants, The Shepherd Centre relies on the generosity of the community and its corporate partners to continue its work with hearing impaired children.

The Shepherd Centre
391-401 Abercrombie Street
Darlington, NSW  2008
Ph: 02 9351 7888
Fax: 02 9351 7880
Web: http://www.shepherdcentre.usyd.edu.au
Email: [email protected]

ABN: 61 000 699 927       DGR: Not supplied

	Donations to this organisation over $2.00 are tax deductible. *
	Volunteering: Phone 02 9351 7885 for details OR Email this address [email protected] listing your contact details and how you might be able to help.