If you are a FASD worker and want to know how to set up a youth with FASD for success in adulthood, the video link below may help. Watch the video link below from Pateresa Winter of Lakeland Centre for FASD https://lcfasd.com/ . She brought her 12 yrs of experience doing transitional planning in a rural and remote setting for youth and young adults with FASD into adulthood yesterday with the Rural FASD Support Network. Lakeland Centre provides this service not to just northern Albertans with FASD but also Metis and First Nations people regardless of whether they have FASD or not. She shared what steps she follows, where transitional planning fits in the process, and the priorities she focuses on.
She also provided the main document she uses including her checklist. As Mariah, our FASD worker said, she couldn’t stop taking notes because of the incredible amount of information that was given. https://youtu.be/ODcr2JK8hr8

The document can be accessed here. https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/oc-lcfasd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/10152612/Transition-Book-Final-2018_-002.pdf

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

INTRODUCING FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER (FASD)

THE PARENTS HELPING PARENTS PROJECT

The Toronto FASD Network and the Toronto FASD Leadership Team are pleased to announce:

WHAT:      The launch of  the PARENTS HELPING PARENTS PROJECT, a phone support resource provided by Parent Mentors (parents and caregivers of children, youth and adults affected by FASD) prepared to listen to, support and share personal coping strategies with other parents and caregiver of individuals affected by FASD.

As a peer mentoring resource it is not a crisis line and cannot offer therapeutic or clinical interventions. However, it can provide information where parents and caregivers might access those interventions, as well as information about other community resources.

Callers can expect confidentiality, except in situations where there is a risk of harm to oneself or to others.

WHEN:       As of February 8, 2021; 7 days a week;   10:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.

HOW:        Call   647 572-4519 to access a Parent Mentor. 

The Parents Helping Parents Project is funded through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.

 Adoption Council of Ontario will be offering a FREE 8 week, 24 hour training for adoptive, kinship and customary care parents titled: “Pathways to Permanence: Parenting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma and Loss.” They will be offering a special session for families that are parenting children/youth with FASD.  These 8 sessions will be virtual and will begin on Friday January 22, 2021 from 9-12 noon.  Below is some information regarding the training and a registration link. 

https://www.adoption.on.ca/pathways-to-permanence-2

https://www.adoption.on.ca/events/event:1064/Pathways-for-Families-who-are-Parenting-Children-w

 For questions and more information please connect with : 

Sylvia Gibbons Parent Liaison, Permanency & Adoption Competency Training (PACT) Program Adoption Council of Ontario

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PO Box 30010 R PO Boxgrove Markham, Ontario L6B 0R5

t: 1-877-236-7820  ext.2995

t: 647-943-0999

f: 1-877-543-0009 www.adoption.on.capact@adoptontario.ca

What you need to know about Ontario’s Bill 172

What: Bill 172, entitled an Act in relation to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), is a Private Member’s Bill aimed at improving the experiences and educational outcomes of students living with FASD in Ontario.

Who: MPP Kathleen Wynne introduced this bill and is bringing it forward for second reading.
Where: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario, atQueen’s Park in Toronto

When: Bill 172 received its First Reading on Tuesday, February 18, 2020
             Bill 172 will receive its Second Reading on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at 6 pm

To Watch: Go to https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/video  about 5:50 pm – Nov.3/20

Simple Overview of Bill 172:
1. This Bill requires boards of education to develop policies and guidelines with respect to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

2. Teachers’ colleges and early childhood education programs will be required to provide training with respect to FASD.

What does Second Reading mean? Second Reading allows Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to debate and vote on the principle behind a bill. MPP Wynne will lead off the debate, and then MPPs from other parties will have a chance to speak on the bill. At the conclusion of the debate the bill will be put to a vote.

What could happen after Second Reading? If Bill 172 passes Second Reading, it will likely be referred to a Standing Committee for further consideration. During the Committee stage the specific details of the bill will be examined, and members of the public may be given the opportunity to appear as a witness or produce a written submission with thoughts on the bill.

If the bill makes it through the Committee stage, it will be eligible to be called for Third Reading. At this stage MPPs will debate and vote on the final form of the bill. If a bill passes Third Reading, it will be given Royal Assent and become law. 

What you can do:

• read  Bill 172 on page two of this document.
• watch the debate on November 3^rd at 6pm at:  
  https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/video    
• show your support for the bill on social media.
• call or write to your MPP about why you think Bill 172 and other legislation to support people living with FASD is important.

What follows is the exact wording of Bill 172:
Preamble: There is a high prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) among children in Ontario, and the combination of deficits children with FASD face can make attending school a difficult and often traumatic experience. Despite this, many school boards have no specific strategy for addressing this issue, and educators often lack awareness of FASD.

It is therefore important that each school board be required to develop a policy addressing FASD, and that teachers and early childhood educators be taught about the signs and symptoms of FASD, as well as how to appropriately accommodate these children in the classroom.

Implementing these changes is expected to result in better academic performance and an improved school experience for children with FASD and their peers, and to contribute to many other positive social outcomes for children with FASD.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS ACT, 2007

1 Section 43 of the Early Childhood Educators Act, 2007 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

(1.1) A regulation made under paragraph 1.1 of subsection (1) shall provide that a program in early childhood education shall only be accredited if it provides for training with respect to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), including,

(a) awareness of the signs and symptoms of FASD; and

(b) strategies to accommodate the needs of children who have diagnosed or suspected FASD.
 

EDUCATION ACT

2 The Education Act is amended by adding the following Part:

PART XIII.2 FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER (FASD)

FASD policies and guidelines

322 (1) Every board shall establish policies and guidelines respecting Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Same

(2) The policies and guidelines must,

(a) promote awareness and understanding of FASD;

(b) include established and emerging best practices to support pupils who have diagnosed or suspected FASD; and

(c) identify strategies for the identification of pupils who have diagnosed or suspected FASD and for providing accommodation for those pupils.

Collaboration

(3) Every board shall facilitate collaboration with parents and FASD Support Groups in undertaking the promotion of awareness and understanding of FASD.

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS ACT, 1996

3 Section 40 of the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

(1.1) A regulation made under paragraph 19 of subsection (1) shall provide that a teacher education program shall only be accredited if it provides for training with respect to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), including,
2 (a)awareness of the signs and symptoms of FASD; and
   (b)strategies to accommodate the needs of students who have diagnosed or suspected FASD.

COMMENCEMENT AND SHORT TITLE

Commencement

4 This Act comes into force on the second September 1 after the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

5 The short title of this Act is the Education Statute Law Amendment Act (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), 2020.

This document was produced by Mary K. Cunningham and Jeremy Istead – Oct. 28/20

To mark International FASD Awareness Day, the Government is investing an additional $3 million annually to support childrenand families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Learn more: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/58311/ontario-strengthening-supports-for-children-and-youth-impacted-by-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder#FASDAwarenessDay

We are pleased to introduce a brand-new text mentoring program supported by the Provincial FASD Family and Caregiver Support Group through Health Nexus.

Please see the poster attached to learn more!

FREE webinar :August 7, 2020 – 1:00 pm EST

In order to implement best practices and improve outcomes for individuals with FASD who experience contact with the criminal justice system there is a need to characterize current experiences and needs, practices, and decision-making in these cases. Dr. McLachlan’s research team will present findings from several recent studies that aim to develop this growing evidence base. We first characterize criminal justice contact experiences among adolescents and adults with FASD using data from the Canadian FASD Database. Second, we review findings from a recently completed study evaluating FASD evidence in a review of published Canadian criminal cases. Third, we describe findings from our research characterizing the FASD knowledge, practice experiences, and training needs among forensic clinicians in Canada and internationally. Finally, we present findings from a systematic review of screening tools and approaches for identifying individuals with FASD, including specifically in justice contexts. This 90-minute presentation will be held on Friday, August 7^th, 2020, at 1:00pm EST, and will include a discussion period following the presentation.

REGISTRATION LINK:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_B-X7Pf6OQ9WBeYeC0a1qFw

A wonderful photo voice project that produced this video sharing a personal story and experience of life as a parent of children with FASD has been translated Oji Cree Translation. Photo voice is a process that gives a voice to people who may not often felt heard. It is a research technique based on the idea that when it comes to understanding community issues, the local poeple- not outside professionals-are the experts.

This Photo voice project was based in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada bringing together a range of women whose children have FASD-adoptive mothers, foster mothers, and birth mothers.

Do You Want to Help Prevent FASD?  Don’t Know Where to Start?

FASD ONE is excited to offer you a package to help you start conversations about alcohol and birth control use with all women and men of childbearing age.

This evidence-based resource will help you to begin conversations with women and men of childbearing age regarding alcohol and birth control use.  The resources can be used with both men and women to proactively prevent FASD before a pregnancy occurs. Starting conversations about alcohol and birth control use is a unique opportunity to help reduce stigma and prevent FASD.

This project, also known as the Condom Project, was developed for the Community Action Programs for Children and the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Programs in Ontario.  It contains, posters, condoms and tear off sheets to give to women and men regarding the need to be on reliable birth control if any alcohol is being consumed.

Before using the resources we encourage you to review the webinar at the following link:  Webinar – Preventing FASD, The Condom Project. 

We welcome anyone to use these resources as long as FASD ONE is acknowledged. See the posters and tear offs below.  If you would like more information about them please contact us by email.

FASD ONE is grateful to the Public Health Agency of Canada who provided funding for this project.  However, the views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency.

Research Project by Maude Champagne, As part of her Masters Thesis Under the supervision of Geneviève Pagé, PhD Université du Québec en Outaouais

We want to hear from you as we are trying to understand Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy from the point of view of parents with a child affected by developmental trauma and Fetal alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Who can participate ?
* You are the parent of a child with FASD and Developmental Trauma.
* Your child is between 5 and 15 years old.
* You have attended at least 6 sessions of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy in the past two years.

What is involved ?
* We will have a phone conversation to make sure you can consent to the study and meet the eligibility criteria.

* If you consent to the study, we will do a recorded interview (audio only) of about 60-90 minutes to discuss your experience.
* Your confidentiality will be respected during the whole process .

To sign up or ask questions?
Please contact Maude Champagne, RSW (819) 335-0602 maudec910@gmail.com <mailto:maudec910@gmail.com>