Denver’s Anchor Center for Blind Children, founded in 1982, is one of only a few organizations in the country that specializes in early intervention and development education services for children, ages newborn-five, who are blind, have serious visual impairments, or have dual sensory (i.e. visual and auditory) impairments. The Center provides vision exams and assessments, early intervention, special education, home visits, respite care, and summer day camps. Children involved with the center learn how to function in day-to-day life, improving independent living skills and increasing social interaction. Parents and siblings also benefit from the Center with educational resources and tools, as well as opportunities to socialize with other families.
A new branch of service, the Anchor Center of Excellence for Pediatric Vision Impairment includes additional components to their programming, including specialized screening and assessment; research; and training for parents, caregivers, educators, and healthcare professionals in the area of Cortical Visual Impairment.
The staff is made up of vision teachers, orientation and mobility instructors, and a variety of therapists including those specializing in speech, physical, occupational, recreation, and music therapies.
Anchor Center for the Blind has a state-of-the-art building specifically-designed with elements that encourage visual tracking, awareness and exploration of the world around them, and self-sufficiency.
The process for working with Anchor Center for the Blind begins by calling 303-377-9732, extension 133 or emailing the Intake and Referral staff at referrals@anchorcenter.org. Parents can also complete an online referral form at anchorcenter.org. Once a referral has been made, a specialized vision assessment called a “Functional Vision Assessment” will be scheduled to determine a child’s unique vision needs.
