FASD CARING FOR OUR

CHILDRENWE ARE IN THIS

TOGETHERDarci Kotkas

DEFINITION

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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a term used to support individuals who have been diagnosed with a “spectrum” of effects related to prenatal alcohol exposure. It includes (but is not limited to) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurobehavioral Disorder, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Static Encephalopathy.

KEY POINTS TO BE MADE: Children, adolescents and adults with

FASD have complex medical, psychological and social needs.

They are difficult to provide stability for and existing resources are not often user friendly for these families.

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INTENTION…..

The critical message emerging from this work is the need to establish sound FASD Informed Practice to support the often complex needs of children and families. FASD Informed Practice implies that casework is carried out in a way that appreciates the specific challenges associated with FASD as a disabling condition and recognizes the need for adjustments and accommodations in the child welfare response.

  A key element of the success of the Community of

Practice initiative was the recognition that child welfare practice in response to FASD requires a specialized approach and leadership on practice needs to originate and develop within the workforce.

WHY US? Child Protective Services identify more

high-risk children than any other public system.

  The challenge is to recognize the need to

do more than protect. Protecting without educating, healing and enriching children is an opportunity lost. The cost in human and financial resources is overwhelming.

  Children born with FASD are among the

fastest growing group of children entering the child welfare system…..

PREVALENCE IN CHILD PROTECTION What we Know FASD is often overrepresented in children,

adolescents and adults requiring services from child protection agencies – 50% of caseloads

The Enhancement Act’s philosophy of “least intrusive and time limited” is not congruent with what we know helps with these children and families.

Many contracted agencies that serve individual Child and Family Service Authorities are often unprepared to serve this high needs group.

Children and families experiencing the complexities of this poorly understood disability are often at the center of highly public child protection failures.

WHY DO WE DO THIS? It is important to understand that early diagnosis and intervention are positively correlated with better long term outcomes for the children and their families.  Appropriate diagnosis results in the children receiving relevant and targeted interventions, significantly improves their functioning, adaptability, self-awareness and self-esteem not to mention significantly improves parent-child interactions (Streissguth et al 2004).

80% OF INDIVIDUALS WITH FASD ARE RAISED BY OTHER PEOPLE:

1. Biological families are unaware of what has happened developmentally for their child

2. Rearing families are unaware of the etiology of the problems

3. Multiple placements distort the information and the functioning

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TRIFECTA – FASD AND……1. School Failure2. Mental Health Disorders3. Addictions

Streissgueth’s Secondary Disability Study90% had mental health problems30% had drug and alcohol use/misuse

UNDERSTANDING THE PRESENCE OF FASD IN OUR “SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT”If we get it: We will have effective

and cost efficient interventions

We will have enhanced collaboration

We will have improved developmental outcomes

We will reduce the intergenerational effects of FASD

If we don’t: We will have

ineffective and costly interventions

There will be systemic frustration and blame

There will be multiple diagnosis (and explanations) over time.

There will be an escalation of symptoms despite “huge” effort.

INTERVENTION IS….1. Identification of high risk individuals is

intervention.2. Gathering relevant information to

support a diagnosis of FASD is intervention.

3. Referring for formal diagnosis/assessment is intervention.

4. Diagnosis is intervention.5. Diagnosis kick starts a multi-system

organization of care. That is intervention.

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#1 VALUE: PLACEMENT STABILITY

Training, training, & more training Coaching and support Respite and Relief Care Grief and Loss support – The ability to

give up what we wish this was to take on what it is

RECOGNITION OF INTERGENERATIONAL FASD. There is a significant gap in our system

of service for persons with disabilities. (Support for people with disabilities to be parents).

Many of these circumstances then lead to child protection involvement

Recognition of Non-compliance as non-competence shifts the traditional approaches and expectations of the child welfare system.

FASD

Parent

CW

Child

FSCD

DEVELOPMENT OF CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE STANDARDS

Creating improved outcomes for children with FASD

• Early identification• Appropriate service planning• Specialized training to agency staff,

families and caregivers• Increased placement stability• Reduction in incidence an severity of

secondary disabilities• Effective transition to adult services

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FASD:COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE Training for staff Support application and integration into

case practice. Ensuring disability first lens Assist workers in being strong advocates

in leading collaborative partnerships to serve clients and families with this disability effectively.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY IN MEDICINE HAT

FASDtraining.com

May 1, 2015