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Centre of Research Excellence enables national FASD approachResearchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia will establish a national framework to tackle Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Research
Exploring Hope in Australian Justice Involved Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderHope is well recognised as a positive protective factor for mental health, improved coping responses to adverse childhood events and better educational outcomes. Hope is composed of synergistic constituents – agency and pathway. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 53 justice-involved youths (10−17 years old) who underwent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnostic assessments with Patches in Western Australia between 2019 and 2020.

The Kids Research Institute Australia has been among a growing number of voices passionately advocating for an overhaul of the way young people in detention are managed in Western Australia.
Research
‘We do what we can as soon as we can’ Alcohol and Other Drug workforce perspectives on preventing and responding to prenatal alcohol exposureEvidence based strategies are needed to enhance the ability of the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector to prevent prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and harms including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In Australia FASD prevention research has largely focused on primary care and child development sectors, while little research has been conducted with AOD services providing comprehensive support to high risk women.
Research
Oral and written communication skills of adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) compared with those with no/low PAE: A systematic reviewPrenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with growth deficits and neurodevelopmental impairment including foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Difficulties with oral and written communication skills are common among children with PAE; however, less is known about how communication skills of adolescents who have PAE compare with those who do not.
Research
Comprehensive Clinical Paediatric Assessment of Children and Adolescents Sentenced to Detention in Western AustraliaTo describe the comprehensive clinical paediatric assessment of a representative sample of children and adolescents (young people) sentenced to detention in Western Australia (WA) and participating in the first Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevalence study.
Research
Bigiswun Kid Project: a longitudinal study of adolescents living with high rates of prenatal alcohol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and early life trauma in remote Australian Aboriginal communitiesThe Lililwan Project was the first Australian population-based prevalence study of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) using active case ascertainment. Conducted in 2010-2011, the study included 95% of all eligible children aged 7-9 years living in the very remote Aboriginal communities of the Fitzroy Valley, Western Australia.
Research
Development of a Model of Care resource for FASD in the justice systemThis article describes the development of a Model of Care resource to support youth involved with the justice system where a neurodevelopmental disability such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is suspected. Service staff within the Youth Justice sector were engaged in an iterative process of resource development over a 9-month period.
Research
Maternal alcohol use disorder and subsequent child protection contact: A record-linkage population cohort studyWe examined the relationship between a maternal alcohol-use diagnosis, and the timing of diagnosis, and child protection outcomes in a Western Australian population cohort.
Research
Association between prenatal alcohol exposure and craniofacial shape of children at 12 months of ageTo examine the association between dose, frequency, and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure and craniofacial phenotype in 12-month-old children.