Yarran has grown and expanded over the past 29 years. Originally a centre based program, it has grown to include a Home Based program, a Toy Library & Playgroup. These programs all adopt a family centred philosophy to guide their decision making and activities.

Brief History
Yarran Early Intervention Services was established in 1979 when a group of parents with disabled children formed a support group. This group applied for and received funding for a part time teacher. They established themselves in a borrowed garage.

In 1980 they were loaned premises in a portable classroom in the grounds of Kariong Pre-school in Mt. Penang Training School. In 2002 we relocated to our new purpose built facilities in East Gosford.

In 1984 Wyong Council lent them a rates collection office in a car park at The Entrance so that the Wyong area would be better serviced. Late in 1988 an offer was made to Yarran from the Department of Employment, Education and Training for funds to build a centre on Crown Land reserved for Yarran at Bateau Bay. This centre was opened in September 1990. The children and their families had finally found a suitable venue.

Management
Yarran is a community based, non-profit organisation. A voluntary management committee receives Government funds, devises budgets, organises fund raising, employs staff and generally oversees the operations of the two centres.

The committee employs a Chief Executive Officer to be responsible for the overall day to day operations of the services. The CEO is responsible for the educational programs, staff supervision and general administration and organisation of the project. The CEO reports and makes recommendations to the committee.

Yarran employs a number of teaching staff, all of who have a minimum of a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, as well as trained Child Care Workers. Yarran also accesses the allied health services from therapists employed at Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health.

Service Area
Yarran is funded to service the area known as the Central Coast. This area includes Wyong Shire and Gosford Shire, and extends from the Hawkesbury River in the south to Lake Macquarie to the north. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east and extends to the mountains in the west.

A Family Centred Approach
Yarran Early Intervention Centre began its life as a Family Support Service. This philosophy has remained the basic philosophy of Yarran service provision through the years.

From birth, infants depend on adults to meet all of their needs, physical and psychological. Getting these needs met requires the systematic development of interactive, loving relationships with adults. This unique, total dependence means that early intervention is an intimate service, and that children must be served within the context of their families.

With this fact in mind, Yarran has adopted a family-centred approach, which recognises that a child with additional needs is part of a larger network of informal and formal support systems. Yarran recognises the importance of family direction in all aspect of service delivery - and this fact is reflected in all of the policies and procedures that have been adopted by the service.

Service Description

Service Objectives

The objectives of Early Childhood Early Intervention are to:

• Assist and complement carers & teachers in their role to assist individuals to achieve their goals.
• Improve and maintain an individual's functional capacity.
• Provide educational opportunities to children with a disability and
• Enable children with a disability to be as independent as possible in their environment.

Service Features

The features of Early Childhood Intervention services include:

• A family centred approach in line with the needs and priorities of the individual and their family.
• An interagency, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to service provision and
• Provision of a range of services to ensure flexibility.

Service Activities

Early Childhood Intervention Services include but are not limited to:

• Partnership with individuals and families /carers, coordinating the provision of services, which are flexible and reflect a family centred approach, including the coordination with other specialist and other mainstream services in the local area:
• In participation with individuals, families, carers and other agencies assessing children to determine their needs including cultural diversity & geographical isolation.
• Providing information & advice to families /carers about the range of early intervention services available in the local area which may be appropriate to their needs and circumstances.
• Providing early childhood special education for children to develop to their maximum potential.
• Supporting families/carers to enable and empower them to manage their own lives and engage effectively with the service system.
• Ensuring Early Childhood intervention services has a positive impact on the lives of children with a disability and their families /carers.
• Supporting and promoting acceptance of children with their transition to school and other services.
• Undertaken and/or facilitating other clinical support interventions that promote optimal growth and development of a child; and
• Ensuring linkages with the Early Childhood Co-ordination Program and other service within the local area.

Services to be provided

Early Childhood intervention services include:

• Early Childhood special education – Centre Based, Home Based & Playgroup.
• Information & referral.
• Coordination of Early Childhood services with other specialist and mainstream services in the local area.

Target Groups  

This service is designed to target children who are aged 0-6 years of age with a disability or who are at risk of developing a disability (developmental delay).