Is The Shepherd Centre a registered NDIS provider?

Yes — The Shepherd Centre is a registered NDIS provider, approved to deliver Early Childhood Supports, Hearing Equipment, Assist Prod-Pers Care/Safety, Assist-Life Stage, Transition, Innov Community Participation, Participate Community, Development-Life Skills, Specialised Hearing Services, Assist Access/Maintain Employ, Hearing Services and Therapeutic Supports. You can use NDIS funding for eligible supports.

What services does The Shepherd Centre provide?

The Shepherd Centre provides Early Intervention.

Which areas does The Shepherd Centre cover?

The Shepherd Centre is based in Newtown, NSW.

How do I connect with The Shepherd Centre?

You can call +61 2 9370 4400 and visit their website, or send an enquiry through EarlyBloom — it goes straight to the provider and is always free for families.

What ages does The Shepherd Centre work with?

The Shepherd Centre supports children from babies and toddlers through to teenagers, with programs spanning all ages and stages of childhood.

Do I need a referral for early intervention?

You don't need a referral to see a provider privately. A GP referral is usually only needed to access Medicare rebates or certain funded pathways.

Is early intervention covered by the NDIS?

It can be, where it aligns with a participant's plan goals — commonly under Capacity Building / Improved Daily Living. Check your plan or ask your support coordinator.

At what age should my child start early intervention?

There's no set age. If you have concerns about your child's development, an assessment can clarify whether early intervention would help.

The Shepherd Centre · Early Intervention · Newtown, NSW

Our approach

The Shepherd Centre specialises in helping children with hearing loss learn to listen and speak using a world-leading early intervention system. Sessions are delivered through an interdisciplinary team including Listening & Spoken Language Specialists, Paediatric Audiologists, Child & Family Counsellors and Early Childhood Educators who work together to support your child's listening, spoken language, literacy and social skills development. The service is tailored to each child's individual needs across all ages and stages, from babies and toddlers through school-age and into teenage years. The organisation emphasises family support and guidance, coaching tailored to each unique family to help them develop skills that support their child's progress. Services include both individual and group programs delivered through nine in-person centres and online telehealth options for rural and regional areas.

Working with families

The Shepherd Centre emphasises strong family partnership and involvement in their approach. They provide guidance and coaching tailored to each unique family to help develop their skills, with the goal of supporting and growing strong families. The organisation listens to family feedback and uses it to shape their services—they recently redesigned their invoicing system based on feedback from families to provide more transparency and detail. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their immediate team with questions and concerns, and the organisation commits to assisting families every step of the way. For families entering NDIS planning, staff at The Shepherd Centre support families through the whole process and provide supporting documents to help advocate for their child's needs.

Meet the team

The team comprises Listening & Spoken Language Specialists, Paediatric Audiologists, Child & Family Counsellors and Early Childhood Educators who work together as an interdisciplinary team. The leadership includes Dr Aleisha Davis (Chief Executive Officer with a Masters in Applied Linguistics from Cambridge University and background as a speech pathologist), Angelika Dalkeith (Director of Clinical Programs overseeing regional management), and other senior clinical staff. The organisation is led by professionals with extensive expertise in hearing loss, listening and spoken language development, and has over 50 years of experience supporting families. Staff are described as skilled and engaged professionals aligned with the organisation's mission of empowering children with hearing loss.

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