Investing in the Shepherd Centre to support Tasmanian children

Members,

The Rockliff Liberal Government is investing $300,000 in the Shepherd Centre to help it expand services into the North of the State.

The Shepherd Centre is a not-for-profit, NDIS service provider and specialist in helping children with hearing loss learn to listen and speak.

Minister for Health, Guy Barnett, said the Government was delivering on its long-term plan to provide Tasmanians with the healthcare services they need and deserve.

“We know how important the Shepherd Centre’s services are to Tasmanian families and their children,” Minister Barnett said.

“Our Government is proudly supporting the centre to bolster staff so it can meet growing demand and further support early intervention in children with hearing difficulties.”

Minister for Disability Services, Jo Palmer, said helping Tasmanian children with hearing loss early could be transformative for the child and their family.

“It is also extremely important that these services are available to Tasmanian families in regional and rural communities,” Minister Palmer said.

Dr Aleisha Davis, CEO of The Shepherd Centre said: “The Shepherd Centre wants to ensure all Tasmanian children with hearing loss, regardless of their location, can access the necessary, specialised listening and spoken language therapy services they require.

“By integrating and embedding TSC’s early, wrap-around care and collaborative services within the North, as well as providing outreach services to the North West and rural and regional Tasmania, outcomes for children such as Bruce are significantly improved, and the costs and burdens on families and Tasmania’s health and education systems are significantly lessened.

“TSC is passionate about empowering children’s voices and amplifying their possibilities in a new world of choice, and we are very grateful to the Tasmanian Liberal Government for helping us to make this a reality.”

By supporting important services like those provided by the Shepherd Centre the Rockliff Liberal Government is doing what matters for Tasmanians.

/Public Release. View in full here.