Our History

Therapy Focus was established as a not-for-profit community service organisation in July 1998 and has grown to become a respected leader in the WA disability sector.

The idea for the non-government therapy provider was pitched by the WA State Government’s Disability Services Commission when a need for greater therapy services for school-age children with disability was highlighted. Before the establishment of Therapy Focus, the Disability Services Commission (now the Department for Communities, Disability Services) delivered school-age therapy services in government and non-government schools through their School Age Therapy Services Team. Prior to this, services were delivered in offices that were visited by families.

After five years as Chairperson, Dr Warren Louden stepped down and was replaced by Dr Ann Zubrick, who had been a member of the Board since Therapy Focus’ inception.

In the same year Therapy Focus launched its ‘Help a Child Grow’ campaign with the aim of raising the public profile of the organisation and children with disability more broadly. The campaign saw the creation of Therapy Focus’ much-loved mascot, ‘Sunny the Sunflower’, and the annual Art Competition.

In 2004, considerable growth in funding for aids and equipment saw Therapy Focus transform the service to support more children and families with urgent equipment needs. The Therapy Focus ‘Community Chest’ was also established to attract donations for the purchase aids and equipment not eligible for government funding. As the charitable program grew it was renamed the ‘Help a Child Grow Fund’, then was later redeveloped as the ‘GIVE Program’ in 2015.

In 2009 Therapy Focus redeveloped its private services arm, branding it ‘The Complete Advantage’.

The division offered fee-for-service therapy, as well as specialist autism assessment and diagnosis services. Professional development and training programs were provided to parents, education and childcare centre staff alongside existing speech and language profiling services for school students. In this year Ms Freda Crucitti became Chairperson after Mr Ray Glickman stepped down following five years in the role.

Therapy Focus’ third CEO, Mr Matt Burrows, took over from Ms Lee Best in 2011. With an ever-growing and widely distributed workforce, redeveloping and embedding organisation-wide values was a priority. After much consultation; respect, integrity, inclusion and courage were selected as the four values that would underpin the way Therapy Focus employees conduct their work.

During the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2015, Therapy Focus was in an ideal position to help more people with disability, by expanding into adult services.

With new funding models, a larger customer base and more sector reforms to come, Therapy Focus was operating in a significantly different landscape to what it was at its inception some 18 years prior. To make the most of these changes, Therapy Focus changed from an incorporated association to a company limited by guarantee in 2016. Services were also expanded to the lower South West region of WA with a team established in Margaret River, and new offices were opened in Ellenbrook and Jindalee.

The year 2020 saw significant change and growth, but it was not without challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic tested the organisation and its staff, but ultimately led to the development and implementation of teletherapy services, which now remain a key part of service delivery. It was also a year widening our customer group into the world of older adults.

In 2021, services continued to expand with therapists driving and flying to provide much-needed services to regional towns including the Wheatbelt and Great Southern, as well a second office established in Bunbury to support the needs of the South West. Therapy Focus joined forces with Deaf Connect (previously AccessPlus WA Deaf) to combine expertise and offer comprehensive therapy services for people with disability. The year also saw the celebration of International Women’s Day with the #ChooseToChallenge Sundowner, where inspiring guest speakers championed the achievements of women and called for continued efforts to challenge gender bias.

In 2024, the leadership team launched the 2024–2028 Strategic Plan at the inaugural Festival of Learning, reaffirming the organisation’s belief that every person’s journey should be extraordinary.

This event provided professional development opportunities for all staff and set a strong foundation for future growth. Later in the year, Therapy Focus proudly launched First Focus, a free early intervention program tailored to children with developmental delays and learning difficulties, based at the Osborne Park office. This initiative, was also made possible thanks to the generous support of Telethon and the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.