Coping with day-to-day life can be a series of challenges, underpinned by the ever present question of: “what will happen to my child, my brother or my sister when I can’t care for them any more?”

Biala Early Childhood Development Services

Working in a region with highest population of children aged from birth to six years old, Windermere is at the heart of an inordinate need for early childhood development services for kids who are living with a disability or developmental delay (such as autism and physical disabilities).

When children show signs of a developmental delay, it is critical that early therapeutic intervention is provided, as it can prevent ongoing learning problems and maximise a child’s potential. Time and again, research has shown that the most significant strides in development and capacity for children occur when identification of learning difficulties is made early and acted upon quickly.

Biala Early Childhood Development Services focus is on delivering flexible, tailored and comprehensive services for children with a disability or developmental delays, while enhancing access to other early childhood services.

Biala is currently the largest provider of Early Childhood Intervention in the Southern Metropolitant Region. The program helps more than 230 local children each year.

We operate from two main sites – one at Timbarra Estate, Berwick and the other in Cranbourne however our service is delivered where it most suits children, families and other people who have significant roles in children’s lives. This means that we may run groups or individual programs in people homes, kindergartens, child care centres, pools, our centres or other appropriate settings.

The Biala program provides an individualised services where families and children are matched with a key worker. Together families and the key worker identify a child’s needs and priorities and then organise an array of services that may include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, special education programs, music therapy, psychology and counselling, focus groups as well as case management support for kids and their families. The focus of this intervention is to help families and primary carers (such as kindergarten or child care staff) develop the skills to provide therapeutic support to the child in their own homes and communities. In this way the child receives more therapeutic support than they would if therapy was only provided during the Biala sessions.

Biala identifies the growth and support needs of children’s developmental delays, and then goes about helping these kids to reach their full potential. They run a variety of special issues workshops covering topics such as toileting, bed wetting, behavior management, sleeping and eating through to language, social and communication classes, school transition groups, support groups for parents of kids with autism, and even a specific support group (called the Pit Stop Group) for dads of children with learning difficulties. The groups run each depend on the children and families wants and needs.

Eligibility
Contact Specialist Children's Services on 1800 783 783 or visit http://www.office-for-children.vic.gov.au/early-childhood-intervention/services/southern_region for more information

Costs
Biala charges term fees $80 per term however if financial hardship is being experienced please discuss this with the administrative staff at Biala as we believe no child should do without this service due to a lack of funds.

For more information please contact us.

Click here to view Biala Early Childhood Development Services PDF Brochure