Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD): raising awareness in early years settings

Abstract

In this article Carolyn Blackburn who is currently project officer for the Training and Development Agency for Schools and Teresa Whitehurst who is a research and development officer at Sunfield School in Worcestershire discuss how educationalists are being required to support an increasing number of children with new and emerging disabilities including Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) for which they may be ill equipped if knowledge and resources are not available. FASD is an umbrella term used to describe a range of intellectual and physical disabilities that may occur when alcohol is consumed by the mother during pregnancy. This may lead to learning difficulties in the areas of gross and fine motor control, social and emotional development, hyperactivity and attention disorders, understanding rules and cause and effect, receptive and expressive language, and problem solving and numeracy. Educating and caring for these children needs a unique approach that relies on reflective practice and adaptive teaching techniques. This article focuses on a collaborative project with Worcestershire Early Years entitled Building Bridges with Understanding. The project focused on raising awareness and increasing knowledge of FASD in early years practitioners to support children with a range of difficulties and provides access to a free downloadable resource pack.