Cerebral Palsy Alliance (formerly The Spastic Centre) is an Australian nonprofit organisation helping babies, children, teenagers and adults living with

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sens ...

and other

neurological Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

and

physical disabilities A physical disability is a limitation on a person's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders, blindness, epileps ...

. 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 its Research Foundation, as well as a disability technology accelerator, Remarkable. Cerebral Palsy Alliance operates from 112 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. 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". Under the

National Disability Insurance Scheme The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. The scheme is administered by the Na ...

, the CPA has had to cease therapy services in one of its NSW south coast locations.

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

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 also funds 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 Nadia Badawi AM is a medical researcher and an expert on newborn encephalopathy and cerebral palsy. She is the Chair of Cerebral Palsy at the University of Sydney. Life Badawi grew up in Egypt and trained in paediatrics and neonatology there ...

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.About Us - Miss Australia
, Cerebral Palsy Alliance website.

History

Services

Cerebral palsy register

Research Foundation

Fundraising

References

Further reading