Sylvanvale Foundation was born over 60 years ago in 1947 when a group of parents united to establish an organisation that would give children with an intellectual disability a better quality of life. Sylvanvale was originally known as the Sutherland Handicapped Children’s Centre and the founding families worked tirelessly to lobby Government to garner support and invoke change.

Awareness increased and throughout the 1950s numbers grew as did our premises and services to support classes, schools and playgroups. By the 1980s services expanded to the Blue Mountains and included homes, transport, sheltered workshops and respite.

Today we provide services that enable people to live as independently as possible and learn in a way and pace of their choice. Our focus is to achieve positive outcomes for individuals and their families. Our services are flexible and our programs cater for all ages and abilities.

We continue to grow to meet the diverse needs of the people we support. We are able to make a real and positive difference in people’s day-to-day life by providing support that encourages people to develop practical skills and gain valuable life experience. Our programs equip individuals to respond to life’s challenges and be active members of their community.