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History

Prior to 1960 and during 1960 - Jean Shaw and Clarie Terry were teaching children from their homes and at a hall located at the back of a church in Wolfram St.

Early 1960 - Parents of intellectually disabled children felt there was an urgent need for special education facilities in Broken Hill and formed the Intellectually Disabled Children’s Education Committee.

 

24th May 1960 - Commencement of school with 12 children enrolled.

 

7th June 1960 - Resolved to wind up Education Committee and form in its place the Broken Hill branch of the SCWA (Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association).

 

5th September 1960 - Purchase of old house 237 South Road for school.

 

7th November 1960 - Name Silverlea adopted. 

 

27th May 1961 - Official opening of school.

 

November 1961 - Third teacher appointed and youngest pupils placed in separate class.

 

June 1971 - Education Department’s School in Rakow Street, constructed and occupied by two classes. A second building was built alongside and Silverlea School occupied this building until 1984.

 

28th October 1972 - Building officially opened. Workshop also officially opened same day.

 

February 1974 - Physiotherapy first provided at Silverlea.

 

30th March 1978 - Special playgroup began.

 

1979 - Physiotherapy room built by fundraising from Broken Hill South Rotary Club.

 

1984 - The Silverlea school became the Early Intervention Centre.

 

March 1994 - Broke away into separate groups, these being:

 

- Silverlea Employment and Training Services (SETS)

- Silverlea Education and Accommodation Services (SEAS)

- Silverlea Incorporated

- Early Intervention Centre

 

24 November 1994 - Became a DoCS licensed facility

 

1997 - Silverlea Early Childhood Services broke away from SEAS

 

4th December 1997 - Silverlea Early Childhood Services became incorporated under the Association Incorporated Act 1984

 

1st July 2000 - GST introduced. The centre became GST compliant with a registered business number (ABN)

 

28th August 2000 - Received an authority to fundraise for charitable purposes from the Office of Charities, Department of Gaming and Racing (Charitable Fundraising Act 1991)

 

2004 - Sensory garden and landscaping began and partially completed

 

2006 - Service under went a restructure for sessions for children

 

2006 - Award recipients for Village Green Sustainable Business Program

 

2008 - Service under went another restructure for sessions for children

 

2009 - Became a DoCS licensed facility again

 

2011 - Approved to receive Children’s Services funding allowing an increase in session hours for preschool aged children. Only NSW Early Intervention Service to receive these funds. 

2016 - Block funding decreases began

2017 - NDIS Roll out in Broken Hill NSW

2019 - Rotary members, Ian Mitchell and others donated time and skills to complete changes for the requirements of Long Day Care approval.

2019 - Approval to provide Long Day Care granted

2020 - Approval for Childcare Subsidy granted

12th October 2020 - Opened Long Day Care Service

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