Community Information Strategies Australia (CISA)
Tel: 8212 8555 www.cisa.asn.au
Publishes: Directory of Community Services South Australia
Online directory www.infosearchweb.com

Councils

Community information services and community centres are run by local councils — contact your council to find out if there is one in your area. Councils offer a range of community services, including respite. To find out if your council has a website go to www.sacentral.sa.gov.au and select Government>Local Government or check the White Pages for a telephone number.

Disability Action

Tel: 8346 8288 www.disabilityaction.asn.au
Disability Action works with and on behalf of people with a disability to promote and fight for their rights

Disability Complaints Service

Tel: 8234 5699 www.dcs.sa.com.au
A confidential service that receives and acts on complaints from people with disabilities and their carers

Disability Information Resource Centre (DIRC)

Tel: 8223 7522 www.dircsa.org.au
Publishes: Disability Information Directory

Disability SA

www.disability.sa.gov.au
A state wide integrated disability service for South Australia whose aim to ensure people can easily access services, tell their story once, and enable them to live independently in the community.  This will include referral and interface with other community based services including non Government disability service providers of choice.

Independent Advocacy

Tel: 8232 6200
Provides advocacy for people with an intellectual disability

Inclusive Directions

Tel:8165 2900 (North) or 8358 2299 (South) www.directions.org.au
Facilitates the access and inclusion of children with disabilities and special needs into child care services. Distributes the Inclusion Support Subsidy (previously Special Needs Subsidy Scheme).

Carer Support & Respite Centre

Tel: 1800 059 059
Emergency or short term in home care

Carers Association / Carer Resource Centre

Tel: 8271 6288 www.carers-sa.asn.au
Provides a point of contact for information and advice on services available for carers

Centrelink

Tel: For more information on Centrelink customer service numbers and offices consult the White Pages
www.centrelink.gov.au
Centrelink delivers a wide range of payments and services. Payments include Disability Support Allowance, Carer Payment, Sickness Allowance, Newstart Allowance, Austudy, Youth Allowance, Family Allowance, Parenting Payment, Health Care Card. Contact Centrelink to find out your eligibility for payments and services.

Child and Youth Health

Tel: 8303 1500 - www.cyh.sa.gov.au
Parent Helpline 1300 364 100
Offers parenting information and guidance

Crisis Care

Tel: 13 1611
Emergency after-hours assistance Mon-Fri 4pm-9am and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays

Family Day Care

Tel: 8226 0044
Home-based care in the homes of approved care providers
Also offers HACC Funded Respite Care Program — home-based respite care up to 18 years of age

Parent Advocacy

Tel: 8340 4450
Trains and supports parents in gaining access to services

Siblings Australia

Tel: 8161 6737 www.siblingsaustralia.org.au
Provides counselling for parents, siblings and families of children with special needs

Diversity Directions

Tel: 8346 1762 www.divdir.asn.au
Support in childcare for children and families from non-English speaking backgrounds

Inclusion SA

Northern 8165 2900
Southern 8358 2299
Supports the inclusion of children with special needs in child care, out of school hours care and vacation care services. Offers training, support and advocacy and allocates the Special Needs Subsidy Scheme.

Playgroup Association

Tel: 8346 2722 www.playgroupaustralia.com.au
The Playgroup Association has a register of South Australian playgroups and can direct you to your nearest group. Has a special needs consultant to assist families with additional needs. Offers Learning through Play a supportive playgroup specifically to meet the needs of families of children with disabilities.

Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS)

Tel: 8226 0044 www.decs.sa.gov.au
For preschools www.childcare.sa.gov.au/ybsparents
For schools www.schools.sa.gov.au/schlparents
Offers information about state preschools and schools in South Australia. Services of a Special Educator are available to assist in preschool support and selection of a preschool. Disability consultants offer assistance to school age children.

Briars Early Learning Centre (DECS)

Tel: 8365 9808 http://www.thebriarsselc.sa.edu.au
Offers a preschool experience for children with disabilities and significant developmental delay

Early Learning Program (DECS)

An Early Learning program is a developmental home-based program which assists parents of children aged 2-4 years to support their child’s development. For children who are not attending more than 2 sessions of preschool or child care a week.

Special Education Resource Unit (DECS)

Tel: 8235 2871 http://web.seru.sa.edu.au
Provides specialised equipment on loan and library and information services

Special Needs Subsidy Scheme

SNSS helps families with children with ongoing high support needs, to be included in the programs of eligible child care services, vacation care and out of school hours care programs.

SNSS subsidises the cost of employing additional staff to increase the overall carer:child ratio for periods when the care of the child places higher demands on staff. The level of SNSS support varies, depending on the needs of the child, the child care service and the availability of funds. Specialised equipment, resources and training in support of the care arrangement can also be provided.

For more information about the Special Needs Subsidy Scheme (SNSS) contact your child care service, the Commonwealth Government's Child Care Access Hotline on 1800 670 305 or Inclusion SA.

Specific Learning Difficulties Association (SPELD)

Tel: 8431 1655 www.speld-sa.org.au
Offers counselling, support and advice to people with learning difficulties

Association of Independent Schools of SA (AISSA)

Tel: 8179 1400 www.ais.sa.edu.au
Special Learning Needs Coordinator, Special Education Advisers, policy and legislation advice, project coordination, professional development, Country Areas Program

Catholic Education Office

Tel: 8301 6600 www.ceo.adl.catholic.edu.au
The Special Education Program is funded by the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools and the Commonwealth Government. The program supports students with disabilities as defined for Commonwealth Government funding eligibility. Members of the Special Education team support schools, aides and teachers through site visits, resources and professional development.

Community Health Centres

Many areas have community health centres that offer a range of health and allied services including speech pathology and occupational therapy. To find out if there is one in your area consult either your council or the CISA Community Directory.

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

Tel: See your White Pages for the nearest regional location
CAMHS deals with a range of emotional and behavioural problems. Services include counselling, inpatient and outpatient care and mental health education

Intellectual Disability Services Council Inc / Options

Tel: 8267 5966 www.idsc.sa.gov.au
Offer case management, intervention and support services, early childhood services, day options accommodation
Referrals to respite agencies including Community Support Incorporated (CSI), Anglicare, CARA, Minda and Interchange

Management Assessment Panel (MAP)

Tel: 8272 7155
Assessment and funding allocation for people with behaviour disorders

Public Hospitals

Some hospitals offer therapy services.
See the White Pages under Hospitals — Public

South Australian Sport & Recreation Association for People with Integration Difficulties (SASRAPID)

Tel: 8410 6999 www.sasrapid.com.au
Promotes and supports the inclusion of people with integration difficulties in sporting and recreation activities.
Offers Rapid Swim and Aquatic Therapy for Children with Autism.

SPARC Disability Foundation

Tel: 8342 0900 www.sparc.asn.au
SPARC offers people with a disability the opportunity to become involved in community recreational experiences of their choice
Offers Sharing the Fun an adapted, physical education program for young people aged 5-13 years, with a disability or movement difficulty