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 Board Charter
CHI.L.D. Association Constitution

CHI.L.D. Association Executive Members 2011

Executive Principal (Ex officio)

Ms Vikki Rose Graydon has served in the position of Principal/CEO since 2005

Office Bearers

	Chairman: Mr Ray Hartzenberg, B.Sc. (Eng), RPEQ Mr Hartzenberg is a Glenleighden parent and principal engineer with the international consulting engineering firm, Parsons Brinckerhoff, specializing in structural engineering in the transport and mining sectors. He has managed the design and construction supervision of major multi-disciplinary engineering projects in Australia and has worked internationally as well. A naturalised Australian for over 24 years, Ray was born in Cape Town, South Africa and graduated from the University of Cape Town. Ray is a Rotarian and a member of the Rotary Club of Kenmore Inc.
	Treasurer: Ms Wendy McTainsh, F.Accs, GAICD Ms McTainsh has 25 years experience as a consultant and professional in Financial Risk Management and Project Management, working with corporations and financial institutions that operate in the financial and energy markets. She has formal qualifications to Masters level in Mathematics and Accounting, and is a graduate of the Company Directors course. Her early career was in Operations Research working with Plessey in UK and Exxon in Sydney, modelling and building systems for optimisation of business processes. Wendy was on the Board of Women in Technology (WiT) as Secretary for two years.
	Secretary: Mrs Margot Hickey B. Econ. Ms Hickey is the parent of a former Glenleighden School student, was the Development Officer for CHI.L.D. Association from 2004 to 2009 and has been a member of the CHI.L.D. Executive Committee since 2003.

Committee Members

	Dr Beverley Rowbotham, M.D., FRACP, FRCPA, GAICD Dr Rowbotham is a partner at Sullivan & Nicolaides Pathology, works as a consultant haematologist and first became a member of the CHI.L.D. Executive Committee in 2001.
	Mr Peter Winterflood B.Econ, MBA, FAIBF State Manager Queensland, BankWest, Brisbane. Mr Winterflood has served as a member on the CHI.L.D. Executive Committee since 2007.
	Dr Denis Meadows, B.Ed., M.Sc. (Calgary). Ph.D. (Griffith Uni.) Dr Meadows is a Special Education Consultant who has recently retired from the School of Cognition, Language and Special Education at 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. Dr Meadows has served as a member on the CHI.L.D. Executive Committee since 2007.
	Dr Michael McDowell Michael McDowell is a paediatrician with a major interest in child development. He graduated from the University of Sydney and trained in paediatrics in Sydney and Boston. He has a Masters degree from Harvard University and his PhD is in the area of childhood neurological development. He founded the Child Development Network in Brisbane and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Queensland. He is interested in all aspects of child development and has written policy on children and the media and cyber bullying. He has published extensively and has publicly advocated over many years for better educational pathways for children with disabilities

 

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.

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

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.