Access to assistive technology for cerebral palsy: stakeholder and lived-experience perspectives from international focus groups
Abstract
Purpose
People with cerebral palsy (CP) face persistent barriers to accessing appropriate assistive technology (AT), despite its critical role in supporting health, independence, and participation. This study examines perspectives from people with CP, caregivers, rehabilitation professionals, AT developers, and disability-sector stakeholders to identify systemic barriers to AT access and explore priorities for strengthening AT systems globally. The aim is to inform the WHO–UNICEF Global Roadmap on Assistive Technology by integrating lived, professional, and system-level perspectives into policy and innovation discourse.
Materials and Methods
Two sequential international virtual focus groups were conducted in March 2025 with 49 participants in the first session and 42 in the second, representing 20 countries across low-, middle-, and high-income settings. The first session explored challenges in AT access, and the second focused on potential solutions. Discussions were transcribed, anonymised, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Analysis identified nine systemic barriers, including high costs, bureaucratic gaps, limited repair infrastructure, and exclusion from services in adulthood. Five priority areas emerged: localised production, technology-enabled customisation, strengthened service and workforce systems, cross-sector collaboration, and global peer learning.
Conclusions
Grounding AT policy and innovation in participatory approaches that integrate lived experience alongside professional expertise can support more inclusive, resilient, and lifespan-oriented AT systems.
IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
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Across two international focus groups, participants described financial, geographic, and bureaucratic barriers as shaping everyday access to assistive technology for people with cerebral palsy in diverse health and social care systems.
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Across stakeholder groups, there was strong interest in localised production, repair, and maintenance as priorities for strengthening assistive product systems, particularly where centralised provision is limited or fragile.
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Discussions highlighted the importance of integrated, interdisciplinary service and training systems in supporting the effective selection, use, and ongoing maintenance of assistive technology over time.
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Contributors emphasised that policy and innovation efforts are more likely to reflect user priorities when lived experience is meaningfully included alongside professional and system-level expertise, particularly in global initiatives such as the WHO–UNICEF Global Roadmap.