The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee functions as the board of governors or trustees of the school. The Executive Committee's core responsibility is that of trusteeship of the Association on behalf of the community ownership, that is, primarily, the children and young persons in Queensland with childhood language and related disorders whose interests CHI.L.D. serves. The Committee's function is that of governance of CHI.L.D. In the performance of this function the Executive Committee operates as a unit with no individual member, including the Chairman, having any independent decision-making power or authority to speak or act on behalf of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee whose members, apart from the chief executive officer (Principal), are elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association held in March each year.

CHI.L.D. Association Executive Members 2010

CEO/Principal (Ex officio)

Ms Vikki Rose Graydon B.SP.THY M.ED. (SPEC. ED.) M.L.M. Ed Currently Executive Principal of The Glenleighden School and has worked for CHI.L.D. Association for 14 years.

Office Bearers

	Chairman: Dr Beverley Rowbotham MD. FRACP FRCPA A partner at Sullivan & Nicolaides, sits on their Executive and works as a consultant haematologist.
	Treasurer: Mr Robert Duff (Jack) – Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants Retired partner in the international professional services firm of Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu and is currently doing consultancy work.
	Secretary: Mrs Margot Hickey B. Econ. Parent of a former Glenleighden School student and currently the Development Officer for CHI.L.D. Association.

Committee Members

	Dr Michael O’Callaghan MBBS, FRACP, MSc Director of Child Development and Rehabilitation, The Mater Misericordiae Children’s Hospital, Brisbane.
	Mr Michael Fitzgerald LL.B. (Hons) Partner Blake Dawson Waldron, and Past President of Rotary, Kenmore.
	Mr Peter Winterflood B.Econ, MBA, FAIBF State Manager Queensland, BankWest, Brisbane
	Dr Denis Meadows Dr Meadows has recently retired form the School of Cognition , Language and Special Education Griffith University. His PhD was in language development in infants. Dr Meadows has recently investigated transition arrangements and their outcomes for secondary students with disabilities for Education Queensland, and continues to advise Government.

Aims, Objectives and Mission

Mission Statement

It is CHI.L.D.'s mission to support children and young people with language disorders to achieve their educational and personal potential.

This involves both:

• the provision of the best of services in education for students with primary language disorders, and
• advocacy on behalf of those and other such students in education, government, health and community settings.

Objectives

• To enhance the reputation of CHI.L.D./Glenleighden as a ‘centre of excellence'.
• To contribute to advancements in understanding of primary language disorders.
• To provide assistance to children/young people with primary language disorders and their families who are unable to access appropriate and/or adequate programs and/or support.
• To highlight CHI.L.D. Association's contribution as a valued partner in the formation and implementation of policy or initiatives regarding primary language disorder.
• To ensure the ongoing sustainability and growth for quality and diversity of services.

Long-term aspirations

• National and international recognition as a ‘centre of excellence'
• A reputation for cohesive, knowledge-sharing staff and the high standards associated with its professional development program
• Expansion in facilities
• Informative high quality research centre
• Acknowledgment of educational programs as being at the leading edge
• A stable and growing funding base for operations.

Our motto is Achievement over Adversity.

Strategic Objectives

Research

• Conduct research projects that have functional relevance and which improve services and practices
• Develop and implement research to establish best practice and evidence based practices
• Establish strong linkages to the broader research community

Alliances

• Increase community awareness of childhood language and related disorders
• Form productive collaborative alliances with government and corporate sectors

Income

• Generate an independent income stream
• Demonstrate productive collaborative alliances with government and corporate sectors

Services

• Improve sustainability of services through creative service provision
• Provide services that more specifically and adequately meet each student's needs
• Increase accessibility of services to all families and children with childhood language disorders

Educational Best-Practice

• Provide contemporary, evidence-based practices in education and therapy
• Increase recognition by education and disability services that practices are appropriate, evidence-based and necessary

United Community

• Increase sharing of professional knowledge
• Increase understanding between different community memberships
• Support the wellbeing and quality of human resources

Platforms for Growth

• Preparation of a coherent, affordable, roll out plan within a manageable timeframe
• Expansion of facilities

History

CHI.L.D. is an incorporated voluntary organisation and registered charity whose constitutional charter is to serve the interests of children and young people with childhood language and related disorders through the promotion and provision of essential services. From 1979 the primary activity of CHI.L.D. has been the operation of The Glenleighden School at Fig Tree Pocket. In recent years the Association has expanded services to children in other schools and preschools across the State through its Outreach program. Government funding is necessary to operate both the school and the outreach services.

CHI.L.D. Association was formed in September 1976 to represent the interests of people with serious primary speech and language impairments. Since its foundation the Association has been firmly committed to a policy of both provision and promotion of essential services for children and young persons with these developmental and learning disabilities.

The Glenleighden School was established in 1979 on its present site at Fig Tree Pocket and received its Approved School Status as an independent special school in 1982. The school had its origins in a self help program conducted initially in the home of the Association's founder President, Mancel Ellis Robinson. From 1977 to 1979, the program was conducted in the Undercroft at Christ Church, St. Lucia. The CHI.L.D. program received no financial assistance from any government source until 1979 and no official acknowledgement of the community need for such a program until a submission to the federal government was successful in achieving a grant through the then Office of Child Care.

In 1994, CHI.L.D. Association received commonwealth assistance through Non-Schools Organisation to provide support to students in schools across Queensland. From tiny beginnings, the Outreach Program has grown, with provision for fee-paying services as well as NSO funded services.

Despite thirty years of service provision with increases in clientele and programs, CHI.L.D. Association continues to require support to improve facilities and resources. CHI.L.D.'s primary allocation of funding is for the provision of quality human resources to ensure the best outcomes possible for all students receiving support through the school and outreach programs.

Charitable Status

ABN Number:  80 797 929 089.
Registered Charity Number: CH0801
Letters Patent:  Registered 6th November, 1980.
Endorsement as an income tax exempt charitable entity as at 1st July, 2000.
Endorsement as a deductible gift recipient at 1st July, 2000.
Public benevolent institution.