About CPA

How do we get started with a new programme?
First we establish links in an African country.  These links may be with local organisations like a support group for families, or a professional physiotherapy body or it may just be an individual living in the country who has identified the need for expert training.

In order for us to be able to plan a programme we must have good communication with our link people. Email is best and thankfully, nowadays, even in African countries this usually works well.
Then we carry out research into what services may already exist in that country. 

The people who are already making efforts on the children’s behalf must be included in any future programme and they will have invaluable local knowledge to pass on.

At this stage we can start planning a course or the setting up of an APT wokshop depending on what local people think is the most important and what seems most feasible.
We then start looking for funding and recruiting trainers.

Why was CPA set up?

After many years of living and working in Africa as paediatric physiotherapist, Archie Hinchcliffe realised the need for children with cerebral palsy to have good early intervention. She also recognised the potential amongst African physiotherapists to meet this need if they could be trained. After trying to persuade development agencies to take on this task and failing because "rehabilitation" is not seen as a priority she decided to set up CPA.

She was helped in this by Allan Burns, whose daughter, now aged 20, has severe CP and who was greatly helped by receiving Bobath treatment when she was young. As a result Allan raised a great deal of money to establish a Bobath Centre in Scotland where he lives. He later raised money for plastic surgery in Ghana and while he was there realised the huge need for physiotherapy for the children with CP there.

Archie and Allan were put in touch with each other by the Bobath Centre in London and so the idea began to grow into a reality. CPA was established as a Scottish charity (SC036501) in April 2005.

How do we recruit trainers?

The trainers for our 2 week elementary courses are volunteer paediatric physiotherapists from the U.K.

They are all experienced and must be Bobath trained. Before they undertake an assignment we run courses for them in cultural competence, passing on knowledge and skills and working in under resourced environments.