❓ Question addresses the assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and support systems for children with FASD, particularly those in out-of-home care, and the training provided to carers and staff. The response outlines existing processes, data limitations, and support mechanisms.
AnsweredQoN 1362Legislative Council
Asked
30 March 2023
Member
Portfolio
Early Childhood Education; Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Department of Health (WA) report on Screening for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Western Australia: Policy and
Practice Recommendations, and I ask: (a) what specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention processes does the Department have with regard to children displaying
symptoms of FASD; (b) How many children entering out-of-home care in the last financial year were screened for prenatal alcohol exposure at the time of
entry to child protection services; (c) how many children entering out-of-home care in the last financial year were referred to the Child and Adolescent Health Service for
neurodevelopmental screening; (d) what training and resources does the Department provide to foster carers and kinship carers to manage the care of children with
FASD; (e) what training and resources does the Department provide to staff to support early identification of FASD in at-risk families; (f) what policies and procedures does the Department have to ensure care planning for children with FASD includes a mandatory FASD
action plan, to enable carers to support their children to manage their disability; and (g) what policies and procedures does the Department have to ensure than an Aboriginal health Service is consulted in the development
of care planning for Aboriginal children with FASD?
Practice Recommendations, and I ask: (a) what specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention processes does the Department have with regard to children displaying
symptoms of FASD; (b) How many children entering out-of-home care in the last financial year were screened for prenatal alcohol exposure at the time of
entry to child protection services; (c) how many children entering out-of-home care in the last financial year were referred to the Child and Adolescent Health Service for
neurodevelopmental screening; (d) what training and resources does the Department provide to foster carers and kinship carers to manage the care of children with
FASD; (e) what training and resources does the Department provide to staff to support early identification of FASD in at-risk families; (f) what policies and procedures does the Department have to ensure care planning for children with FASD includes a mandatory FASD
action plan, to enable carers to support their children to manage their disability; and (g) what policies and procedures does the Department have to ensure than an Aboriginal health Service is consulted in the development
of care planning for Aboriginal children with FASD?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 May 2023
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Early Childhood Education; Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Community Services
Response time
1 days
The Department of Communities advise:
(a) The Department of Communities (Communities) engages specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention services for children in out-of-home care through both the public and private sectors. Health care planning is reviewed as part of the care planning process. Children in out-of-home care have an initial medical assessment followed by a more comprehensive health and development assessment, which is then carried out on an annual basis. Where children in out-of-home care have additional assessment needs, these are arranged as required. Communities frequently obtain comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments with attention to differential diagnoses and co-occurring conditions before progressing to more targeted assessments. If more specific neurodevelopmental assessments are indicated to be required, of which FASD may be one, Communities arranges these assessments.
(b) This information is not reported through the Assist client system and would require the diversion of manually reviewing individual case files. Gathering this data would require significant resources.
(c) 125 children
(d) Communities offer a workshop on FASD each year delivered by the Telethon Kids Institute. Carers are also referred to Telethon Kids Institute and NOFASD websites for information outside the workshop. Carers also have access to individualised feedback sessions and information following the completion of a FASD diagnostic report with the assessor. Carers may also access additional support options, such as respite.
(e) Given the complex nature of neurodevelopmental diagnoses, case managers consult with Communities’ psychologists and public health specialists regarding concerns about the health and development of children in out-of-home care.
(f) If a child is diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder of which FASD may be one, the child’s support needs are incorporated into their care planning, which includes relevant and appropriate actions required by carers, case managers and referrals to appropriate support services.
(g) Case managers are required to consult with an Aboriginal Practice Leader when arranging health assessment referrals for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care, noting that the most appropriate referrals may be to an Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Health Service.
(a) The Department of Communities (Communities) engages specialist assessment, diagnosis and intervention services for children in out-of-home care through both the public and private sectors. Health care planning is reviewed as part of the care planning process. Children in out-of-home care have an initial medical assessment followed by a more comprehensive health and development assessment, which is then carried out on an annual basis. Where children in out-of-home care have additional assessment needs, these are arranged as required. Communities frequently obtain comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments with attention to differential diagnoses and co-occurring conditions before progressing to more targeted assessments. If more specific neurodevelopmental assessments are indicated to be required, of which FASD may be one, Communities arranges these assessments.
(b) This information is not reported through the Assist client system and would require the diversion of manually reviewing individual case files. Gathering this data would require significant resources.
(c) 125 children
(d) Communities offer a workshop on FASD each year delivered by the Telethon Kids Institute. Carers are also referred to Telethon Kids Institute and NOFASD websites for information outside the workshop. Carers also have access to individualised feedback sessions and information following the completion of a FASD diagnostic report with the assessor. Carers may also access additional support options, such as respite.
(e) Given the complex nature of neurodevelopmental diagnoses, case managers consult with Communities’ psychologists and public health specialists regarding concerns about the health and development of children in out-of-home care.
(f) If a child is diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder of which FASD may be one, the child’s support needs are incorporated into their care planning, which includes relevant and appropriate actions required by carers, case managers and referrals to appropriate support services.
(g) Case managers are required to consult with an Aboriginal Practice Leader when arranging health assessment referrals for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care, noting that the most appropriate referrals may be to an Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Health Service.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.