30 September 2026
To mark FASD Awareness Month we have joined forces with the National Organisation for FASD and the FASD UK Alliance to publish a statement calling for stronger recognition of the significant speech, language and communication needs experienced by people with FASD
FASD (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure. It remains significantly under-recognised and under-diagnosed across the UK, despite estimates that around 4% of the population may be living with FASD.
The statement highlights the vital role of speech and language therapists in identifying, assessing, and supporting people with FASD and their families, and calls for speech and language therapy expertise to be appropriately recognised within multidisciplinary pathways
SLTs may be among the first professionals to identify developmental concerns, as children may be referred for delayed language development before FASD is suspected. A thorough assessment of speech, language and communication can provide important evidence to contribute to multidisciplinary assessment and diagnostic decision-making.
To improve support for people with FASD and their families, we are calling on decision-makers and budget holders to ensure:
- recognition of FASD as a significant public health issue requiring coordinated national action with information about it being made available in accessible formats
- improved routine recording of alcohol-exposed pregnancy within maternity, child health, and social care records to support earlier identification where appropriate
- adequate access to multidisciplinary FASD assessment services, or assessment for FASD being included in neurodevelopmental pathways, across the UK, including appropriate speech and language therapy input
- inclusion of speech, language, and communication needs within national FASD guidance, commissioning frameworks, and clinical pathways
- investment in education and training for health, education, and social care professionals to improve understanding of FASD and its communication profile
- timely access to speech and language therapy based on identified need rather than diagnosis alone for children and young people with FASD
- support for further research into the speech, language and communication profile of people with FASD, the interaction of FASD and other coexisting neurodevelopmental profiles, and the effectiveness of speech and language therapy interventions.
