Young white man reading our annual report in an office setting.

Great minds think differently: CPA releases 2023 Annual Report

Covering the period from 1 July 2022 to 31 June 2023, the report’s theme is ‘Great minds think differently’ – the tagline of our new brand strategy and a reflection of our belief that we need to think differently to deliver even better outcomes for people with CP, and their families.

This year marks the first twelve months of our new three-year strategic plan, ‘Strategy 2025’, which charts an ambitious course towards a truly inclusive future for people with cerebral palsy and their families.

We also welcomed a new Chair of the Board, Andrew Buchanan. Andrew had served as Deputy Chair of the Board since 2017 and has a life-long association with Cerebral Palsy Alliance from when he received services as a child.

Over the last twelve months, CPA has supported more than 5,000 clients and their families through our innovative therapy, lifestyles, accommodation and respite services. We opened our third Early Diagnosis Clinic in Croudace Bay – and the first in regional Australia – giving more families crucial access to early intervention services.

In supporting our clients to enjoy a more seamless experience with CPA, we launched MyCPA, our new mobile app. MyCPA provides clients with a window into their CPA therapy service.

Our teams at the CPA Research Institute continued to set the global standard for cerebral palsy research, publishing over 70 academic papers and releasing the 2023 Australian Cerebral Palsy Register (ACPR) Report. Launched by the Honourable Bill Shorten MP, Minister for the NDIS and Social Services, the ACPR report confirmed a sustained 40% decrease in the birth rate of cerebral palsy over a 20-year period, cementing Australia’s global leadership in the field of cerebral palsy research.

It has also been a year of breakthroughs for Remarkable™, our disability tech accelerator, which counted a record 12 startups from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and United States in its 2023 cohort. From brain-computer interface technology, AI navigation, adaptive fashion and wearable technology, Remarkable is unleashing human potential and creating life changing solutions for people with disability.

Other highlights of the year included:

  • Our STEPtember fundraiser saw over 120,000 participants raise over $10m
  • CPActive Champions built the successful ‘Blaze the Trail’ campaign, engaging with political candidates for more equitable schooling and employment systems for people with disability
  • Twenty-three allied health graduates successfully undertook the first year of a new therapy graduate program
  • Our generous volunteers contributed nearly 11,000 hours of support
  • Plus many more successes!

“Thank you to our wonderful clients, families, employees, researchers, volunteers, corporate partners, allies and supporters – it is through your generosity, passion and skills that we continue to deliver a world-class experience for our community,” said Rob White, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Chief Executive Officer.

infographic with images of key statistics and achievements from the year at CPA.

The 2023 Annual Report is available to download on the CPA website here.