Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
What does this course involve?
Developing a greater understanding of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and how it can affect individuals throughout their lives.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) describes a range of lifelong effects associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. These can influence areas such as learning, memory, communication, emotional regulation, behaviour and everyday functioning.
This course helps participants look beyond behaviours that may be misunderstood and consider how differences in brain development can affect the way a person processes information and responds to the world around them.
Bill makes the subject accessible and relevant, helping participants develop greater understanding and consider how appropriate support and adjustments can make a positive difference.
Understanding the brain behind the behaviour
Someone with FASD may experience difficulties that aren’t immediately visible. Behaviours can sometimes be interpreted as someone being difficult, unwilling to cooperate or simply not listening, when the reality may be far more complex.
Understanding how FASD can affect brain development allows us to look at behaviour differently and consider whether expectations, communication or the environment need to change.
- Understanding Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Prenatal alcohol exposure and brain development
- Understanding FASD as a lifelong condition
- Recognising that FASD can present differently between individuals
- Learning, memory and processing information
- Attention and executive functioning
- Communication and understanding
- Emotional regulation
- Sensory experiences
- Understanding behaviour in context
- The difference between “won’t” and “can’t”
- Recognising strengths as well as difficulties
- Routines, structure and predictability
- Adapting communication and expectations
- Creating supportive environments
- Developing FASD-informed approaches
No PowerPoint. No Death by Slides.
Bill believes the best training happens through conversation, discussion and genuine engagement — not by reading information from a screen.
Every Just Say Training course is written and delivered personally by Bill, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience working in mental health and related services.
There are no PowerPoint presentations. Instead, participants are encouraged to ask questions, discuss real situations and explore the subject in an open and engaging environment.
The result is training that feels relevant, memorable and connected to the real world.
What can you expect from the course?
FASD can be misunderstood, particularly when someone’s difficulties aren’t immediately visible.
Bill explains the subject in an accessible and engaging way, helping participants connect an understanding of brain development with behaviours and situations they may encounter in the real world.
The emphasis is on looking beyond behaviour and considering what the individual may be finding difficult, rather than assuming they are deliberately choosing not to comply.
- Understand FASD – Develop a clearer understanding of FASD and how differently it can affect individuals.
- Understand the Brain – Explore how prenatal alcohol exposure can affect development and everyday functioning.
- Look Beyond Behaviour – Consider what someone’s behaviour may communicate about their abilities, needs or environment.
- Adapt Your Approach – Explore how communication, expectations and environments can be adjusted.
- Recognise Strengths – Understand the importance of recognising the individual rather than defining someone by a diagnosis.
- Real Conversation – Learn through discussion, questions and real-world examples rather than slides.
Year of Experience
Years Delivering Training
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Courses Written & Delivered by Bill
Why choose Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder training?
Understanding FASD can fundamentally change the way we interpret and respond to someone’s behaviour.
When difficulties with memory, processing, communication or emotional regulation are misunderstood, an individual may be seen as deliberately challenging or unwilling to cooperate. Greater awareness allows us to consider what the person may actually be finding difficult and how our own approach can be adapted.
This course can be particularly valuable for people working within education, social care, fostering, adoption, healthcare, youth services, criminal justice, housing, family support, charities and other services supporting children, young people or adults.
The aim is to help participants move from simply managing behaviour towards understanding the individual — developing more informed, supportive and effective approaches.