Throughout the last fourteen years we have accessed a variety of professionals to address various issues. We were lucky as many had some understanding of FASD – but there were others who attempted to help my daughter or provide advice or suggestions, based on what works with neuro-typical children, with disastrous results. A study revealed … Continue reading Wish #7: Professionals Skilled in FASD Diagnosis and Interventions
In Ontario (Canada) a 2016 report Nowhere to Turn for Adults with Developmental Disabilities discovered over 14,000 adults with a development disability were on wait lists for services such as: respite, housing, job support or day programs. The wait for services, depending on the type and area is three years - 20 years! My wish is all adults with a developmental disability, including those with FASD, that require support receive the services they need when they turn 18, without delay.
My daughter said she wants to live with me forever. When she was young, I told her she could live with me for as long as she needed to. She tells me she is terrified of living without me – that she does not know how she will manage. While she was not ready to … Continue reading An FASD Wish: Confidence in her Future
School is geared for the masses. If we want an inclusive society and promote education as a right, then students should be taught in a way that supports and accommodates their development. FASD is not recognized in our school system as a condition that qualifies for support, be that an Educational Assistant (EA) or Child … Continue reading 2020 Wishes for My Daughter and FASD: #4 Recognition in the School System
One of the keys to helping someone with FASD is to meet them “where they are” not where society thinks they should be. I’ve had discussions with countless people who offer well-meaning but ill-informed advice, such as, “When I was 18, I was in college, had a job, was living on my own, or in … Continue reading FASD Acceptance and Understanding (Wish 3/12)
While FASD is a physical disability with over 420 co-occurring conditions, the part of the body that connects this, the brain, is invisible to our eyes. Very few people with FASD have any visible characteristics. When people can’t see a disability, people are quick to judge.
In 2016 I wrote a blog post called 12 Wishes for FASD and My Daughter. It was a combination of things I wanted in terms of FASD awareness and things I wanted for my daughter. I did update it in 2017 - 12 Wishes A Year Later - but have not been back to look at it through the lens of another 3 years. Over the next 12 days I will update for the 2020 edition. Today we look at friendships.
Some advice from an employer's perspective when interviewing, hiring and supporting individuals with FASD in workplace.
Robin Burgamy a librarian, FASD advocate and co-founder of KAFASD, a regional support network for FASD recently had her paper Bright Futures: Creating College Opportunities/Programs for Students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder published in Future Review: International Journal of Transition and College and Career Success.
The following is from the Hansard Transcript November 3, 2020 Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), 2020 / Loi de 2020 modifiant des lois en ce qui concerne l’éducation (ensemble des troubles causés par l’alcoolisation foetale) Ms. Wynne moved second reading of the following bill: Bill 172, An Act in relation to … Continue reading FASD Education Bill 172 passes 2nd Reading
