Neglect, Failure to Thrive or a denied disability? Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and the need for Recognition, Screening and Care Planning in child welfare settings

Objectives: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are preventable birth defects directly linked to consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, resulting in a significant public health cost and an unseen burden on the child... [ view full abstract ]

Objectives: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are preventable birth defects directly linked to consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, resulting in a significant public health cost and an unseen burden on the child welfare service. Social Work professionals are key to (1) primary prevention of FASDs through working with women of childbearing age, and, (2) secondary prevention through working with affected individuals whose lives can be greatly improved with knowledge based interventions.
Materials and methods:
This work relates to three elements of information gathering to advance knowledge on screening for FASD in child welfare Interventions.
1. Literature review of contemporary publications relating to child welfare and FASD, and completion of policy brief for local provincial child welfare personnel developed at McGill University, Montreal, Canada
2. Data generated from a small pilot project with child welfare social workers working in intervention and assessment roles in two international settings
3. Data generated from a CPD education day of child welfare social workers in UK practice, held in London, United Kingdom
Results: Evaluations from the 3 domains listed suggest that training, education and policy development concerning FASD screening tools is sought by social work professionals, in order to properly respond to the needs of individuals living with an FASD. The data suggests that there is an increased need for awareness of the lifelong disability of FASD and the complex problems faced by social work professionals in responding in a professionally competent manner to the needs of those living with an FASD or suspected of having an FASD and their family
Conclusion: Findings suggests there is a need for regular screening for FASD to be undertaken on entry to state child welfare services. Equally, participants call for greater professional education on FASD at both undergraduate and postgraduate education.