Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Cerebral Palsy Alliance
Non-Profit
Founded 1945 (as The Spastic Centre)
Founder Audrie and Neil McLeod
Headquarters 187 Allambie Road
Allambie Heights, NSW 2100
Website cerebralpalsy.org.au


Cerebral Palsy Alliance (formerly The Spastic Centre) is an Australian nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping babies, children, teenagers and adults living with cerebral palsy and other neurological and physical disabilities lead the most comfortable, independent and inclusive lives possible. Its therapy teams work with individuals and families to maximise their participation in the community.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance provides professional development and training for employees within the disability sector. The alliance also funds important cerebral palsy research in Australia and overseas through our Research Foundation.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance operates from 55 sites throughout metropolitan, regional and rural NSW and the ACT.

History

Cerebral Palsy Alliance was founded on 30 January 1945 by a group of parents of children with cerebral palsy under the leadership of Audrie and Neil McLeod. It was the first organisation of its type in the world for people with cerebral palsy.[1] The first medical director was Dr Claudia Bradley.

The Spastic Centre renamed itself the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in 2011, because of increasing sensitivities to the word "spastic".[2]

Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the CPA has had to cease therapy services in one of its NSW south coast locations.[3]

Services

Cerebral Palsy Alliance services include:

  • Technology services
  • Equipment services
  • Mobility programs
  • Employment services
  • Day programs for adults
  • Accommodation support
  • Respite care
  • Therapy and education services
  • Aquatic programs
  • Information
  • Recreation

Cerebral palsy register

An Australian CP Register has been established to guide future research in prevention, intervention and service provision.

Research Foundation[4]

In 2005 Cerebral Palsy Alliance established a Research Foundation to fund Australian and international research to find a prevention and cure for cerebral palsy – a condition that affects more than 17 million people around the world.

The Foundation is also committed to improving the quality of life of people with cerebral palsy by funding research into improving early diagnosis tools (which can reduce the long term impact of the disability), treatments (interventions) and technology innovations.

The leader of the research team is Nadia Badawi.[5]

Fundraising

Cerebral Palsy Alliance runs regular fundraising throughout the year:

Miss Australia

Miss Australia Quest/Awards was run by The Spastic Centres of Australia for 45 years. Over its duration entrants, their families, committees, sponsors and the general public of Australia raised in excess of A$87 million.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Our History | Cerebral Palsy Alliance". Cerebral Palsy Alliance. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  2. ↑ Miller, Barbara (8 February 2011). "Times dictate name change for Spastic Centre". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Commission. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Knaus, Christopher (1 September 2017). "Disability service providers warn NDIS pricing could force them to shut down". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  4. ↑ Foundation, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research. "Our Story | Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation". research.cerebralpalsy.org.au. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  5. ↑ https://research.cerebralpalsy.org.au/our-work/our-researcher-program/research-staff/nadia-badawi/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ About Us - Miss Australia, Cerebral Palsy Alliance website.

Further reading

  • McLeod, Neil (2007). Nothing Is Impossible: Adventures in cerebral palsy (PDF). Allambie, NSW: The Spastic Centre. ISBN 1876564091.
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