Associação de Paralisia Cerebral de Lisboa

description of organisation

A Associação Portuguesa de Paralesia Cerebral de Lisboa (APCL), initially called Associação Portuguesa de Paralisia Cerebral, was founded in Lisbon on 26 July 1960 by a group of parents and technicians and was the first association of parents and experts, for people with disabilities created in the country.

On 1958 Maria Luisa Almeida Alves, mother of a child with cerebral palsy, that returned from London where she had an internship and graduate in this specialty, decided to open a a small rehabilitation center, with the support of Dr. João Santos, from Liga Portuguesa dos Deficientes Motores.

Given the specificity of cerebral palsy and the impossibility of that center to respond to numerous requests, a group of parents of children who were already being clientes of the Centre together a group of technicians, founded the Association, which statutes were approved by the Minister of Health and Welfare. Since it was founded, it has been defined as Legal Person of Administrative Public Interest.

With the foundation of the Association opened in 1960 the first Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation Centre of the country.

After 1974 it was felt the urgent need to decentralize technical support rehabilitation and create a more effective integration into regular education system. So, there was a need to change the statutes and were created Regional Centers, each one with the necessary technical administrative and financial autonomy.

The Núcleo Regional do Sul, with headquarters in Lisbon, became part of the whole personal and social facilities that existed at the time in Lisbon and opened the legal possibility of creating new Center, which took place immediately with the creation of Núcleo Regional do Norte, in Porto, still in 1974 and the Núcleo Regional do Centro in Coimbra in 1975.

Núcleo Regional do Sul was formed from the Association initially established in 1960, and was the starting point for all other created across the country and that today serve in a local level their populations.

The creation of social responses has emerged as the needs that were accompanying the growth of the children who were initially being assisted. In Lisbon, began with Centro de Paralesia Cerebral Calouste Gulbenkian, followed by the Escola de Ensino Especial the Occupational Activities Centre for those who left school activities and did not follow professional careers, the Vocational Training Centre, the Home support (assistance and support to families, especially the elderly), the Residential Homes ( Here too the South Center pioneered the creation of residential homes.

With the growth of the number of cores and its activities, it was considering advantageous creation of autonomous associations, which would integrate a federation (FAPPC). Thus, all Regional Centers were transformed in associations with full legal personality.
The south center started to be called Associação de Paralesia Cerebral de Lisboa - APCL,

APCL has the following missions:
*Support the implementation of a project of life by promoting maximum development of client's capacities;
*Provide clients and their families a peaceful environment (eliminating anxiety);
*Contribute to the promotion/awareness of civil society to the problems of disability and cerebral palsy in particular;
*Fighting for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the full exercise of citizenship.

In order to acomplish the mission, APCL has different services:
*Occupational Activities Centers - aims to provide conditions for improving the quality of life of people with cerebral palsy over 16. This is achieved through socially useful activities in order to stimulate the full potential of the recipients.
*Residencial centers - receive persons with cerebral palsy over 16, who are prevented, either temporarily or permanently, to stay in their family environment.
*Home Care Service - provide the provision of individualized and personalized care to individuals with cerebral palsy.
*Horsemanship terapeutical center
*Center of water activities
*Kindergarden
*Incubation Center for Companies

Nowadays, APCL develops activities in the following equipments:
*Centro Nuno Belmar da Costa (Residential center/occupational center) - Oeiras - 80 clients
*Centro Nuno Krus Abecasis (Residential center/occupational center) - Lisboa - 44 clients
*Espaço 7 Ofícios (Vocational Center/occupational center) - Lisboa - 59 clients
*Casa de Benfica (residential home)- Lisboa - 7 clients
*Centro de Equitação Terapêutica (horsemanship terapeutical center) - Lisboa - 85 clients
*Centro de Actividades Aquáticas (center of water activities)- Lisboa - 85 clients
*Centro Dr. José de Azeredo Perdigão (kindergarden/home care support/residencial center/terapeutcal swimming pool/ Incubation Center for Companies) - Odivelas - 128 clients
*Casa do Tejo (temporary accomodation for disabled and families) - Lisboa

Volunteering project