About Us

Welcome to SHINE. We believe that every child has the basic right to learn, and to reach its potential. A division of The Andrew Dean Fildes Foundation (est 1996), SHINE exists to provide children with language and learning problems with the opportunity and tools to overcome their challenges.

Over 16 per cent of Australian children suffer a Language Learning Disability (LLD) inhibiting their ability to learn and develop normally. The ramifications of this are enormous for children, their families and communities.

As a young child with significant learning challenges, founder and CEO Andrew Dean Fildes knows first hand the benefit of early intervention, dedication, persistence and support. He has spent his whole life achieving what others may never have thought possible, but he and his family knew otherwise. The family motto has become that of the charity – the child who believes can achieve.

For over 20 years Andrew has led the Foundation and SHINE, assisted over 22,000 children find solutions and changed the lives of families forever. SHINE also runs the largest clinical placement for postgraduate speech pathologists in Australia.