Educators are ‘front line’ workers meeting the needs of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in classrooms, playgrounds and other educational settings. Over the last few decades, FASD has emerged as the most common preventable cause of brain injury, reflected in increasing numbers of children with developmental, learning, behavioural and medical problems. Yet educators have not been provided with the resources to assist them to recognise FASD and address the needs of these children and young people.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and complex trauma: A resource for educators is a unique book developed by experienced educators Jane Weston and Sue Thomas. This excellent resource addresses gaps in knowledge and skills faced by educators. It is highly accessible, and provides accurate information about the issues faced by children with FASD.
Importantly, and reflecting Sue Thomas’ long experience in remote Kimberley schools, FASD is framed in the context of complex trauma and its intergenerational effects. The importance of considering trauma is twofold: prenatal alcohol exposure and trauma act synergistically to impair brain function, and a trauma-informed approach allows tailoring of management plans and maximises the effectiveness of early educational interventions and ongoing educational and social support.
Click here to download resource.
This is a great resource. I am using it with FASD support groups as well as Lunch and Learns. Super material that lines up nicely with Canadian research and theory.