New developments in research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Led by Professor Penny Cook

The aim of the session is to provide an overview of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a condition caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy, discuss its implications for the field of child protection and consider why it has been a long neglected area of focus. The session will then explore recent developments in FASD policy and research, including: the new NICE quality standards and Department of Health and Social Care needs assessment; the first UK prevalence study; the development of the first parenting programme to support carers of those with FASD; unpicking the complex relationship between attachment, trauma and FASD; and the implications of FASD in the criminal justice system.