Themes (4)

Repeated contact with police/criminal justice system in older youths

Concern from parents of younger children about their vulnerability

Good professional knowledge was helpful

Poor professional knowledge was not!

#FASD #BACCH

Themes (3)

Dissatisfaction with education response (as IQ OK but adaptive function poor)

Systemic barriers to a lack of support

School failure/lack of alternative provision

#FASD #BACCH

Themes (2)

Diagnosis could be empowering and reassuring for carers and children

Some felt diagnosis made no impact due to lack of change following diagnosis

Overlooked physical complications

Struggles in adulthood

#FASD #BACCH

Themes

Diagnostic pathway
"A really long, tortuous journey"
"We kept going round in circles"

Variability in Prenatal Alcohol Exposure history
Stigma surrounding diagnosis

#FASD #BACCH

Next: Hilina Getnet talking about Children antenatally exposed to alcohol and conversations with stakeholders

What do familied at the forefront of FASD think about its current state?

15 parent/carer interviews were done

#FASD #BACCH

Q. Wasn't a question.

#BACCH

Conclusions

Integrated citizens advice was beneficial and feasible

A referral pathway and named link worker is a huge bonus

The average income increase is VERY significant

#BACCH #Poverty @commchildhealth.bsky.social

***Challenges***

Co-location added value but space is at a premium

Increasing awareness among colleagues

Time pressures in outpatient appointments

#Poverty #BACCH

Most impact was around benefits and tax credits

Disability Living Allowance was the most underclaimed benefit

Average income gain was £3,233

#BACCH #Poverty

Data collection and analysis was undertaken to evaluate update and benefit to families, as well as ease of use for clinicians

Income generation (where relevant) was collected

#Poverty #BACCH @commchildhealth.bsky.social

The team worked with the Citizens Advice Service to try and broach topics such as debt, benefits, housing, immigration etc

An allocated link advisor was assigned to comm paeds clinic

A referral process was established

Families were offered a variety of modes of contact

#Poverty #BACCH

Next: Dr Sarah Gough and Anna Wallace: Reducing Poverty for families attending Community Paediatric Clinics (in Sheffield)

Poverty is a risk factor for negative health and developmental outcomes

Is is COMMON (10% for this team)

We get more referrals from this group

#BACCH #FASD

Q. How much engagement have you had from the criminal justice system in the UK
A. There has been some level of engagement. There is education for police, judges and intermediaries, as well as to probation services

#FASD #BACCH @commchildhealth.bsky.social

All this has impact on the justice system and criminality

This puts an onus on paediatricians to make the link between alcohol exposure and potential FASD to protect these individuals

A very good talk.

@commchildhealth.bsky.social #FASD #BACCH

Alcohol is unique

It has the most damaging, widespread effect on a foetus

But it is usually the only drug which, if you are not consuming it, people will want to know why NOT, and suggest you SHOULD

#FASD #BACCH

There are cases of confabulation where individuals with have admitted to serious crimes (including murder) due to confabulation, and been convicted

They have been overturned only as other people have had to prove they could not have committed the crimes

#FASD #BACCH

If someone has poor memory, suggestibility and confabulation, you can understand how you would be vulnerable in police interview and with a lawyer in court

They were also more persuadable to change when challenged

There is eagerness to please

#FASD #BACCH

That's important because and IQ of below 70 is associated with lots of increased support. But the FASD population skirts just above this

Delayed memory recall is poor, and confabulation/suggestibility much increased

This leads to vulnerability in police interview

#BACCH #FASD

Individuals with FASD are 19-40x more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system

The diagnosis of FASD does not make you a criminal, but it is associated with vunerability which leads to involvement with social and criminal issues

#FASD #BACCH

In subpopulations, e.g. Looked After Children, rates of prenatal alcohol exposure may be much higher - 25-50%

#FASD #BACCH