CLAPA - Cleft Lip and Palate Association

1st Floor
Green Man Tower
332b Goswell Road
London
EC1V 7LQ

Tel: 0207 833 4883
Fax: 0207 833 5999
Web: www.clapa.com
Best time to phone: 9am - 5pm weekdays but 24-hour answerphone operates.

During the early part of pregnancy, separate areas of the face and head develop individually and then join together. If certain parts do not join properly the result is a cleft lip and/or palate. The cause is not known but it can sometimes run in families. Problems are likely to be associated with speech, hearing, feeding, facial growth, appearance and badly placed teeth.

CLAPA is a support organisation for all those with - and affected by - cleft lip and palate. It is a partnership between parents and health professionals concerned with the care and treatment of cleft lip and palate. CLAPA offers support by:

• Organising local parent-to-parent support through its nation-wide network of branches.
• Running a specialist service for parents and health professionals seeking help feeding babies with clefts.
• Encouraging and supporting research into causes and treatment of cleft lip and palate.
• Representing the needs of patients and parents, influencing policy on future treatment of cleft lip and palate.
• Conducting educational seminars for health professionals and the general public.
• Raising funds in the community for specific treatment and equipment.
• Publishing and distributing a range of information leaflets, increasing public awareness of the condition.

Contact the above address for details of local contacts.