Understanding FASD and Behaviour
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong, brain-based condition caused by exposure to alcohol before birth. Many behaviours seen in children with FASD come from differences in how the brain processes information, not from a lack of effort. A child may want to follow a rule but be unable to remember it, link it to a consequence or stop an impulse in time.
Common difficulties include:
- Remembering instructions and routines
- Understanding cause and effect
- Controlling impulses
- Managing emotions and sensory input
- Coping with changes and transitions
- Understanding social situations
Effective support changes the environment and the way adults respond, rather than relying on rewards and consequences alone. This FASD training shows you how to use a Functional Behaviour Assessment to understand behaviour, then put practical supports in place.
FASD in the Classroom: Strategies for Teachers
Students with FASD often do best with structure, repetition and clear, concrete communication. Strategies covered in the course include:
- Keep routines predictable. Use visual timetables and prepare students for changes.
- Give one instruction at a time. Use short, concrete language and check understanding.
- Teach and re-teach. Expect to repeat skills across settings and days.
- Reduce sensory and environmental overload. Offer quiet spaces and movement breaks.
- Supervise and support, don't just set rules. Plan for situations where impulse control is likely to be hard.
The course provides 5 hours of accredited professional development for teachers and education support staff.
Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy - Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Alcohol can interfere with foetal brain development at any stage, and there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. As a result, FASD exists on a spectrum, with individuals affected in very different ways depending on timing, frequency, and other biological and environmental factors.
Across the general population, FASD is significantly under-diagnosed. Many young people affected by FASD do not receive a formal FASD diagnosis until later childhood or adolescence, and some are never diagnosed at all. Instead, they may be mislabelled as having behavioural problems, poor motivation, or mental health difficulties, without recognition of the underlying brain-based differences driving their needs.
For families raising children with FASD, this lack of diagnosis and understanding can be exhausting and isolating. Parents and carers often report a lived experience of repeated school exclusions, breakdowns in care placements, strained family relationships, and worsening mental health for both the child and the adults supporting them. Without appropriate strategies in place, expectations can easily exceed a child's developmental capacity, leading to distress, shame, and behavioural escalation.
Children and young people affected by FASD may experience challenges with memory, attention, impulse control, emotional regulation, communication, sensory processing, and adaptive functioning. These difficulties are not a result of poor parenting or lack of effort. They reflect differences in how the brain processes information, copes with stress, and responds to environmental demands. Over time, unmet needs can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, school refusal, involvement with the justice system, and other long-term health and wellbeing impacts.
Supporting Young People With FASD Diagnosis
Effective support for FASD is not about punishment, rewards, or trying harder. It requires bespoke training and a shift in mindset towards neurodevelopmentally-informed care. Positive Behaviour Support offers a practical, evidence-based framework to understand behaviour, reduce environmental stressors, and develop strategies that work with the brain rather than against it.
Through building new knowledge about FASD, caregivers and professionals can develop realistic expectations, create predictable and supportive environments, and teach skills in ways that match a child's developmental profile. This includes adapting communication, reducing cognitive load, supporting regulation, and proactively preventing distress before behaviours of concern arise.
With the right understanding, strategies, and collaboration, children and adolescents with FASD can thrive. Early identification, compassionate support, and consistent approaches across home, education, and community settings play a critical role in improving mental health, strengthening relationships, and promoting long-term health, independence, and participation for individuals living with FASD and the families who support them.
FASD Course Frequently Asked Questions
What is FASD?
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a lifelong condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. It affects brain development and can impact learning, memory, attention, behaviour and daily living skills.
How does FASD affect behaviour?
Children with FASD may have difficulty remembering rules, understanding consequences, controlling impulses and managing emotions. Their behaviour is often a result of these brain-based differences rather than deliberate choice.
Who is this FASD course for?
The course is designed for parents, foster and kinship carers, teachers, education support staff, support workers and allied health professionals who support children and adolescents with FASD.
Is this course accredited?
Yes. Behaviour Help is a NESA and TQI accredited provider. The course provides 5 hours of professional development, and you will receive a certificate of completion at the end.
Does a child need an FASD diagnosis for the course to be useful?
No. The strategies can help children with suspected or diagnosed FASD. FASD is diagnosed by a specialist team, so speak with your GP or paediatrician if you have concerns.
How long does the course take, and how long do I have access?
The course takes about 5 hours to complete, including the video modules and the course book activities. It is self-paced, and you have 12 months from the date of purchase to complete it.
Is a book included with the course?
Yes. You receive a free Kindle copy of Dolly Bhargava's book, Positive Behaviour Support Strategies for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Can I use NDIS funding to pay for the course?
Yes. The course is suitable for NDIS funding, whether your plan is self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed. To request an invoice, email dolly@behaviourhelp.com with the course name, your child's full name, their NDIS number and the NDIS line item you would like on the invoice.