Biala Support Services Incorporated provides services for both children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.
It is a non-profit/charitable organisation.
Biala Special School Needs Your Help
MORE than ever before, Biala Special School in Ballina needs the community's support.
With expenses increasing, but government funding remaining the same, the school for the first time in its 42-year history has been forced to charge parents a daily fee for their children with disabilities to go to the school.
Wendylee Playford, CEO of Biala Support Services Inc., which operates the school with 22 enrolments, is disapointed that the $5 daily fee had to be applied.
Other avenues for reducing expenses have been exhausted. One full-time support staff position has been axed and the hours of two other support staff and two admin staff members have been reduced.
Costs at the school have also increased with the new hydrotherapy pool built at the school, provided through the Federal Government's Building the Education Revolution program.
Mrs Playford said $5 didn't sound like much, but that equalled $1000 per year per child. For about 50 per cent of the parents of the moderately to severely disabled students at the school, "it was a struggle" to pay. These parents already have huge burdens on their household budget to cater for the day-to-day life of a special-needs child, and the equipment they required at home.
The school itself forks out big money for specialised equipment, which is often only used by one child.
Last year, the school had an operating cost of around $690,000 and with an income of $643,000 ran at a loss of almost $50,000.
Back in 2007, Federal government funding to the school was reduced by $50,000 as the allocated funding given to the State was shared among more independent schools.
Mrs Playford said there was "angst" among some parents when the fee was introduced at the beginning of the school year, but there was no significant drop in enrolments.
Some of the options to help parents pay for the fee will not be available next year.
If enrolments at the school do drop, government funding will also decrease.
Local services clubs are urged to consider supporting a struggling family by chipping in for the $1000 annual student fee. Other interested persons can help by making a financial contribution towards a portion of the annual student fee.
Phone Biala on 6686 4763 or you can donate online by clicking the ‘Make a Donation’ button below or go straight to the special online donations page site at http://www.givenow.com.au/bssinc and follow the prompts.
If you would like to make a donation by mail, please download a printable donation form and send through the post to:
Biala Support Services Inc
PO Box 1279
BALLINA NSW 2478
Tracey Everingham
Doing It Again for the Kids at Biala!!
Tracey Everingham, local Function & Fundraising Coordinator is working hard again for the special needs children on the Far North Coast and especially those that attend Biala Special School.
Tracey has fundraised over recent years to purchase 2 Variety Sunshine Coaches (for Biala Special School and Southern Cross K-12 School), a Liberty Swing (A Wheelchair Swing installed at Missingham Bridge Park) along with equipment for individual special needs children. Total funds raised for the above equipment has been approximately $250,000. What an effort!!!
But Tracey has not stopped there. In November 2010 Tracey held 'A Taste of Elegance' dinner at the Lennox Head Hotel where she raised a further $10,000 to purchase specialised Hydrotherapy Equipment for use of the special needs children that attend Biala Special School. The equipment purchased included a pool side bed lift to allow severely disabled children to enter the pool safely so they too can enjoy the benefits that hydrotherapy can give them, a bathroom hoist, specialised flotation equipment along with exercise equipment which benefit the special needs students at the school. Without Tracey's support and hard work this equipment could not have been purchased.
"The supply of this equipment would not have been possible without Tracey's assistance and support," said Wendylee Playford, CEO, Biala Support Services Inc. "She is a credit to the North Coast and more importantly an outstanding supporter of children with special needs". "The students that attend Biala Special School would not have had the benefit of specialised hydrotherapy without this equipment. The students, staff and families cannot thank Tracey enough for her outstanding efforts."
Tracey is passionate about helping children with special needs and gives her time and effort with no gain for herself other than to see the smiles of delight on the children's faces.
2009 BIALA SPECIAL SCHOOL REPORT
The 2010 Biala Special School Report is available for download here (PDF, 199KB)
BIALA HYDROTHERAPY POOL
An indoor hydrotherapy pool has been opened at Biala Support Services in Fox Street.
The hydrotherapy pool is currently utilised by:
- Health professionals and organisations
- Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC)
- Other disability organisations
- Aged care facilities and organisations
- General community groups
You can see photos of our students enjoying the new pool here
