Crossing borders, building connections

By Amy Hogan

Travelling to Germany for the combined congress of IAACD and EACD in June 2025 wasn’t just a professional opportunity but a personal milestone as a wheelchair user and somebody with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi.

International travel can be quite complex: it takes master planning, a willingness to be flexible (very much metaphorically in my case), and a good sense of humour.

However, it was soon worthwhile to be wheeling on the cobbled streets and touring buildings that are thousands of years old.

The theme of this congress was “Developing networks – networks for development”, and it lived up to the name. 

The IAACD and EACD 2025 congress was an opportunity for the Cerebral Palsy Society to interact at an international level.

I was able to meet with representatives from our equivalent organisations from all over the world, including Ireland, Nepal, Ethiopia, Brazil, and many European countries.

The conversations weren’t just theoretical but grounded in lived experience and practical applications from around the world.

It’s often tempting to see Europe and the Northern Hemisphere as the beacon and gold standard of research and practice.

However, the work of Australians and New Zealanders was very much at the forefront throughout the conference, especially when it came to co-design work with families and bringing indigenous rights to the centre. 

Amy Hogan at the IAACD and EACD 2025 congress.

There were many different aspects of the congress that I found moving and fascinating.

Some of the highlights that I look forward to sharing with members include:

• Understanding health needs and ways to resource and support adults living with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi
• Designing and developing interventions and support for physical activity amongst all levels of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) within imperfect systems
• The latest technological advances when it comes to robotics and the potential use (or not) of ethical AI in understanding Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi
• The different selection criteria of which interventions are likely to best support individuals and their families in different circumstances, e.g. what does it truly mean to do a home programme
• The work to promote the understanding of Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi and childhood onset disability amongst other specialties across the life course approach. For example, psychological health and specialist services for adolescents and adults.

Amy Hogan speaking at the IAACD and EACD 2025 congress.

The level of expertise, different experiences, and representation of Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi in all its forms were worth crossing the ocean for. 

The Cerebral Palsy Society, and New Zealand more broadly, were able to present our ideas and form international collaborations that work to shift policies in ways that are meaningful and beneficial to our members and their families. 

Check out our website in the coming weeks and months for more in-depth information about the findings from the conference and my takeaway messages. 

If you would like more information, feel free to contact me via email at amy@cpsociety.org.nz.

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* EACD is the European Academy of Childhood-onset Disability.
* IAACD is the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability.

 

 

Amy Hogan is the Cerebral Palsy Society’s Researcher and Member Support Advisor.

 

 

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This article was originally published in the September 2025 edition of The Review magazine.

 

For more information:
Melanie Louden
Communications Manager
melanie@cpsociety.org.nz
Mobile: 022 087 819