Our Story
In 1971, we started as the Noah’s Ark Toy Library for Handicapped Children, run by a small group of parents of children with a disability.
At the time, families were beginning to refuse to put their children with disabilities into institutional care and institutions stopped admitting young children.
Noah’s Ark co-founder Annetine Forell, a parent of a child with a disability, as well as co-founder Mary Glue, saw the need for family support. They established toy libraries for children with a disability. The service recognised the importance of play in a child’s development and provided a place for families to discuss the challenges of parenting.
Today, Noah’s Ark is a not-for-profit community organisation based in Victoria and the ACT, Australia. We offer a range of services and programs that support families who have a child with a disability or additional needs.
Noah’s Ark provides the best therapy and education for your child with a disability or additional needs. We recognise the very important role that families play in their children’s health and development.
Noah’s Ark currently provides services to children 0 – 8 years of age and will continue to work with clients who have an existing relationship with us until 12 years of age. Children new to Noah’s Ark from the age of 8 and over will be considered based on a prior relationship with Noah’s Ark or a sibling of a current client.
At Noah’s Ark we work closely with children with a disability, their families and the services they participate in. We recognise that parents are experts on their own child and we provide them with information and support that enables them to make informed decisions.
We employ more than 220 staff and deliver services to more than 2000 families across Victoria and the ACT.
Noah’s Ark works with families, educators and policy-makers.
