Media Contact: Belinda Featherstone 0408743457
Media Release
SENATOR JAN MCLUCAS
Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities
and Carers
22 October 2010
Recognising 150 years of service to children with hearing
and vision impairments
The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas, today
congratulated the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children for 150 years of
educational services to children with hearing and/or vision impairment.
Today marks 150 years since Thomas Pattison, a deaf migrant from Scotland, began
teaching seven deaf children in a converted house in Sydney.
The Institute has now grown to become Australia’s largest independent special
educator, providing education and support to more than 950 children and their
families across Australia each year.
Senator McLucas said the Institute deserved recognition for 150 years of life-
changing service to children with hearing and vision impairment.
The Government has committed to delivering additional early intervention services
for children under six with a diagnosis of a listed disability, including hearing and/or
vision impairment, through the A Better Start for Children with Disability program.
Families will receive financial support of up to $12,000 (a maximum of $6,000 per
year) to access intensive early intervention therapies and treatments from health
professionals.
We know that intensive early intervention in the pre-school years can be very
effective for children with hearing and/or vision impairment.
I look forward to working with the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children to
improve the lives of people with disability.
NEWS 
