About CPEC: Over 30 Years Supporting People with Disabilities
Our values
Who are we?
The Cerebral Palsy Education Centre (CPEC) provides therapy services to people (0-65 years) living with disabilities that result in movement challenges. Many of our clients have complex communication needs. We are an innovative and experienced service based in Glen Waverley and Glenroy, Melbourne with a strong focus on “Learning for Life”.
The CPEC vision is that people with disabilities are able to live an inclusive life on their own terms confident in their knowledge, skills and supports to achieve their own goals and active participation in life.
These core principles guide our services and are embedded in everything we do:
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Being able to communicate is a basic human right
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Belief that every individual can learn
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Benefits of the experiences of role models and mentors for clients, families and staff
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Goals and aspirations of families are our focus
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Commitment to up-to-date, evidence-based or research-based therapies that facilitates long term outcomes for clients and families
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Building each child’s self-esteem and confidence in themselves and their abilities
Our organisation
What do we do?
Empowering people with disabilities. Supporting Families. Changing Futures
CPEC services provide access to teams of speech pathologists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists through small group programs and individual sessions.
We are proud to be recognised as one of Australia’s leading providers of therapy, education, and support for individuals of all ages living with disabilities that result in movement challenges.
Whether you're a parent seeking support for your child, a young adult navigating independence, or an adult looking to enhance your quality of life, CPEC is here for you. Our multidisciplinary teams of specialist clinicians work collaboratively to deliver personalised programs that create meaningful, lasting outcomes - “Learning for Life”
We offer proven, evidence-based services tailored to each stage of life—from early intervention and school readiness to equipment support, life skills development, and transition planning for adulthood. Every person who connects with CPEC is met with understanding, expertise, and a commitment to their goals.
When individuals thrive, families and communities do too—and that’s the future we’re building together.
What sets us apart
Why choose CPEC?
Over 30 Years of Experience
For more than three decades, CPEC has been a trusted therapy provider for children and adults living with disabilities. Today we support over 230 families, working across 50 schools, early childhood settings, and individual sessions to help each person build the skills they need to live life on their own terms. Contact us today.
Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display (PODD)
Gayle Porter, an Australian speech pathologist and co-founder of CPEC created the Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display (PODD) system, a world-recognised communication tool used by individuals with complex communication needs. As the originators of PODD, we bring unmatched expertise in supporting clients and families to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to participate fully in everyday life. Read more about PODD here.
National and International Training
CPEC is a recognised leader in complex communication training, regularly invited to deliver training and present as guest lecturers at universities, conferences, and workshops both in Australia and overseas. This commitment to ongoing education keeps our team at the forefront of evidence-based practice in movement and communication therapy. Find out more about training at CPEC here.
Expert Knowledge and Skills
CPEC therapists are trained and mentored specifically to work with people who have neuromotor disorders and movement challenges, including people with communication challenges. The team has extensive knowledge and experience of successful approaches to enable learning to move, communicate and participate. Find our more about our services here.
Holistic, goal-centred approach
We look at the whole person, not just a diagnosis. Our multidisciplinary teams work with each individual and their family to set meaningful goals, whether that's learning to walk, communicate more independently, or take part confidently at school and in the community, and build a personalised program around achieving them. Find our more about our services here.
Innovative Group Programs
CPEC group programs are a feature of our services and are available across the range of CPEC clients. The group programs are tailored to meet the individual movement, communication and specific age relevant needs of each participant. Click here to find out more about our group programs.
Communication Expertise
CPEC is an inclusive communication community with members using speech, sign and/or aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). All CPEC team members respect the varied ways our community communicates and are able and ready to interact using a range of AAC systems and strategies. More about Speech Therapy at CPEC here.
Integrated Team
Our physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists collaborate as one team around each person, tailoring best-practice strategies to their unique needs and goals. Our multidisciplinary team works alongside families to build skills, independence, and quality of life at every stage. Click here to meet our team.
Research
CPEC partners with Monash University on an ongoing program of research into supporting families raising a child with a disability. These partnerships help ensure our therapy approaches stay grounded in current evidence, while also contributing new insights that benefit the broader disability community.
Advocacy
CPEC takes a proactive approach to supporting families. CPEC actively represents family needs at government and early childhood forums, lobbies local politicians, and provides feedback to reform documents, new initiatives, surveys and inquiries.
CPEC also supports parents and young people who access CPEC services who would like to present at local and national conferences, or other forums, so that their voices can be heard.
Our people
Meet our team
CPEC therapists have specialised knowledge and skills working with individuals living with cerebral palsy and similar conditions, including those with communication challenges. The team has extensive, combined experience and understanding of teaching - learning approaches to support learning to move and learning to communicate. Some members of staff and CPEC Board of Management have lived life experience of cerebral palsy or raising children who have cerebral palsy.
CPEC has a strong ongoing commitment to staff training and mentoring ensuring that our therapists are highly skilled. Our therapists have developed innovative education and training programs and are requested as guest lecturers at universities, conferences and workshops domestically and internationally.