Drawings by kind permission of our friend Charlie Mackesy / @charliemackesy

friendship.

"I never parent alone now. This group is with me in spirit all the time. They are there to contact when the chips down, there for my learning and there to celebrate the little wins. My children can be themselves when we meet for activities. There isn't anything that matches this for its acceptance and understanding. Teachers have praised the resources on the website." Feedback from parent . National Diversity Awards 2023

We formed our Friends Groups as we are all carers & parents of children, young people and adults with undiagnosed or diagnosed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD); we support other carers and parents alongside our network of professional colleagues nationally and internationally who specialise in FASD.

We all started on this journey at different points but together we have become stronger and with the knowledge and skills we have gained along the way, we want to be able to offer you what we needed when we first started looking.......... friendship.

We offer you confidentiality, a safe space to talk and a friendly ear to listen.

Email: You can email us and chat confidentially to an experienced parent: fasdsouthwest@gmail.com

Facebook: Our 'Friends' Facebook pages gives us lots of experience and support from across our community of FASD:

FASD Friends; South West UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/888952215122780

FASD Friends; Home Education: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1643979936004911

FASD Friends; Ideas for Supporting & Teaching FASD: https://www.facebook.com/groups/493779352170508

Online: We run a monthly Online Friends session where we chat and share stories, we offer subject specific topics with 'Ask the Expert' guest speakers from a range of subjects that are relevant and chosen by carers & parents.

Please find a list of diary dates further below.

Drop in: 1:1 confidential online support & family support

WhatsApp: We provide a WhatsApp responsive friends group where we support each others challenges & celebrate our smallest but biggest marathon wins!

Play: We meet up and let our children and young people just be themselves .... they connect at a totally different level

Events: We host weekend & holiday events in discrete safe venues that are tailored to childrens needs

Cake: We meet up...... chat, laugh, share stories and eat cake.... but we are there for each other if we need to be or are there in the background when we need lifting

You are not alone - we welcome you to a safe space to explore FASD and be supported through other parents who care.

EVENTS COMING SOON:

21st MAY 2024 EVENT 1:00 - 2:00pm; If your child is struggling in School or College, you can't get them to do anything or they are demand avoidant.... then this bitesize 'Ask the Expert' Event is for you... 'Ask the Expert' Dr Naomi Fisher Clinical Psychologist, author of 'Changing our Minds' & 'A Different Way to Learn'…. clinical expert in Trauma, Autism, Demand Avoidance PDA & Alternative ways of learning outside and inside School BOOK HERE
26th JUNE 2024 EVENT 8:15 - 9:15pm Ask the Expert Dr Cassie Jackson Clinical Psychologist leads a presentation and questions around FASD, Learning Difficulties and Learning Disability.... We will unpick the importance of getting a 'learning diagnosis', where we hope the session will give you tools in your FASD toolbelt to enable you access a broader range of services to support this need.
We aim to incorporate information from Learning Disability services into the session and where we will provide a clear definition around your rights to support. BOOK HERE

TBC 2024 8:00 - 9:00pm; Prof Raja Mukherjee MBE Consultant Psychiatrist will join us for an exclusive online event evening of 'Ask the FASD Expert Q & A session'

Date to follow soon:

Dr Abigale Fisher, Educational Psychiatrist, supporting complex needs through the EHCP
Prof Alan Price, FASD & Trauma Research, Psychology Lecturer Salford University
Disability Living Allowance Workshop; navigating the system, tailored to FASD

To be added to our mailing list or to find out more, contact us below or email us at: fasd.southwest@gmail.com

4th October 2022 8:30 - 9:30pm: Wills & Trusts; Questions & Answers session led by Amanda George; LLB (Hons) STEP (Trusts and Estates); notes found here
1st November 2022 8:30 - 9:30pm: FASD Questions & Answers; session led by Dr Cassie Jackson; Clinical Psychologist, Expert Witness & Clinical Lead FASD; notes found here
28th February 2023 8:00 - 9:00pm Dr Raja Mukherjee, Consultant Psychiatrist Clinical Lead Adult NDD & FASD, CCIO‑PLD; notes found here
04th March 2024 8:15 - 9:15pm; Clinical Psychiatrist Dr Cassie Jackson & FASD Hub South West Event focussing on the 'HPA Axis and supporting strategies for FASD'; notes found here
29th April 2024 8:15 - 9:15pm; Clinical Psychiatrist Dr Cassie Jackson & FASD Hub South West Event focussing on 'Supporting strategies for FASD'

friendship.

Please contact us below if you would like to chat, ask a question or be added to our confidential mailing list for events and resource sharing or just want to find out more.......