Sneak Peek Program released!

Published

Thursday, May 18, 2023 - 12:00 PM

We're still working on our program but here's a quick glance at the sessions and speakers we have lined up

DAY 1- 3rd August

Mental and physical health of adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy

Symposium opening with Dinah Reddihough, CP-Achieve Chief Investigator

Keynote address with Priya Cooper, Paralympic Champion

Keynote address with Professor David Coghill, CP-Achieve Chief Investigator

Co-designing pain assessment for children and young people with cerebral palsy. Adrienne Harvey, Nadine Smith, Meredith Smith, Amy Hogan and Caitlin Doyle. This workshop will explore assessment tools suitable for assessing chronic pain for all people with CP within a biopsychosocial framework. The session will be presented by clinician-researchers and people with lived experience of CP.

Musculoskeletal issues- What we don’t talk about! Kerr Graham, Erich Rutz and Carlee Holmes. This session will cover the challenging and confronting nature of musculoskeletal issues with the information presented and discussion aiming to alleviate some of these issues for people in the future. The session will be presented by expert orthopaedic surgeons and clinician-researchers.

Sleep problems and fatigue. Sue McCabe, Susan Sawyer. Looking at the whole picture of sleep and an exploration of the assessment of fatigue in CP. This session will be presented by clinician-researchers.

AusACPDM AGM (AusACPDM members) over lunch.

Building a Connected Service: What are the key ingredients? Monica Cooper and Noula Gibson. Case examples from a recent pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) and a current hospital complex care service will be explored to understand the evidence around key ingredients to optimising management of people with disabilities and complex health care needs and to gain a practical appreciation of different service models that meet the key ingredients for optimised complex care practice. This will be a clinician -research led session.

The intersection between physical and mental health with disability in first nations cultures and in regional and remote communities. Under development.

Parents and Wellbeing. Sarah Giles, Helen Tossell, Joan Gains, Rowland Mosbergen. This session will explore what the research is telling us about parent wellbeing including risk and protective factors.  A panel made up of parents of young people with CP will also talk about their experiences and challenges to mental health from diagnosis, and early childhood, to facilitating independence. This session will be presented by researchers and consumers.

Wellbeing for people with disability. Sarah Giles, Ingrid Honan, Haley Smither-Sheedy, Susan Sawyer. An overview of the CP-Achieve Understanding Survey results will be provided summarising the key mental health challenges identified.  This will be followed by a robust discussion of treatments or concepts that can help improve mental health including mindfulness and peer mentor programs. This session will be presented by researchers

Who gets to flourish? Wellbeing and Disability. This panel discussion aims to bring attention to this often complex and neglected topic of mental well-being and disability, with a particular focus on the lived experience perspective. The panel will reflect on mental well-being as well as its relevance in promoting an inclusive path to development. The panel will be made up of experts, clinicians and consumers.  

DAY 2- 4th August

Building supportive supportive family, community, and service environments

Keynote address with Kurt Fearnley, Chair of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Board

Keynote address with Kirsten Deane, Melbourne Disability Institute

Equity, law and the NDIA. George Disney, Michelle King, Darren O’Donovan, Kay Wilson, Piers Gooding (chair). This session will look at important issues related to how equity, law and the NDIA can be used to build supportive environments and good health. The session will be presented by researchers and experts.

Pathways between education and employment. Loretta Shepherd, Steve Odgers. This session will focus on what happens in the transition process using real world examples of the St Vincent's Young Persons team in Melbourne and the Breaking Out of Silos research project. The session will be presented by researchers and consumers.

Opportunities for all people with CP and similar disabilities (addressing participation in their communities).  Rohan Symmonds, Ann Edward, Alison Holm. Participation in community life should involve choices, opportunities and enable increasing independence for young people with disabilities. Join this session to find out more about projects working towards equitable participation within our communities. This session will be presented by consumers.

CP-Achieve consumer partners networking session. This networking session is open to CP-Achieve Consumer Research Partners currently working within CP-Achieve advisory groups or projects (young adult, adolescent and parent groups or individual partners). 

Independent Living: “My mum doesn’t know what colour my undies are!” Lyndal Hickey, Oliver Hunter, Peta Hooke, Jane Tracy, Evelyn Culnane. This workshop will explore the experience, challenges and benefits of independent living for adults with CP.  The session will be presented by people with lived experience of cerebral palsy and researchers.

Relationships & friendships. Leanne Sakzewski, consumers. This session will look at establishing and sustaining friendships and social connections.  It will provide an overview of the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) program and insights into the social skills development outcomes for young people with CP.  A facilitated panel discussion will give lived experience insights and advice to other consumers about building relationships and friendships. This session will be presented by a researcher and consumers.

Fitness for life. Fitness for everyone. James Plummer, Stacey Cleary, Carlee Holmes. Speakers will explore physical activity for young people with cerebral palsy, functioning at GMFCS levels IV and V.  They will share the experiences of young people and their supporters and let them tell us about what works, what doesn’t, and what health professionals can do to support them in increasing their physical activity participation. This session will be a presented by researchers and consumers.

Bright lights- PhD in 3. PhD students working on CP research will give short presentations of their work and outcomes.

Closing address- Beyond 30 years, where to from here? Dinah Reddihough 

Don't miss out! If you're not already signed up, register HERE