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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

What is FASD?

FASD stands for Fetal¹ Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. It’s caused when a pregnancy is exposed to alcohol, which affects the brain and body before birth. At its core, FASD is a permanent neurodevelopmental condition (a condition that affects how the brain works). But it is also a spectrum, which means each person with FASD is affected differently. There is no treatment for FASD, but early diagnosis and support can help to limit its impact on a child’s life.  

Health and foster care

Foster carer medicals 

In recent years fostering services have increasingly expressed concern about the difficulties with the system of obtaining health information about prospective foster carers. In response to this issue The Fostering Network, CoramBAAF and the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) have jointly surveyed its fostering service members in England in Winter 2019/20 to understand more about the issue and its wider impact on fostering.