In December 2024, the Australian Government released its long-awaited response to the Senate Inquiry into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), the detailed report of which was released in March 2021. The Australian Government response sets out its position on the 32 key recommendations which are aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, and support for individuals and families affected by FASD.
As the Government’s detailed response acknowledges, FASD is a complex issue requiring cross-sector collaboration, and further engagement with stakeholders will be essential to ensuring that individuals and families affected by FASD receive appropriate support.
The Government’s response to the FASD Senate Inquiry provides a clear framework for areas of progress and areas requiring further work. While six recommendations have been fully supported and indeed work on these is already underway, others remain subject to further consultation, research, and collaboration, most particularly those requiring State and Territory involvement.
Recognising that several recommendations do not fall within the Australian Government’s remit, the response highlights the importance of ongoing engagement with stakeholders to address gaps and explore future opportunities.
NOFASD encourages interested stakeholders to support NOFASD’s advocacy by engaging with their own respective State or Territory Government and their local parliamentary member, to encourage the uptake of the key recommendations in this report so that the recommendations that are Supported-In-Principle can be advanced.
For your ease of reference we have outlined below a summary of key information outlined in the Australian Government response to the Senate Inquiry into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
The government has:
- Supported six recommendations, which will be implemented in full.
- Supported in principle 14 recommendations, meaning further policy development and consultation will be required.
- Noted 11 recommendations, acknowledging their importance while recognising that responsibility for implementation lies with State and Territory Governments or other sectors.
- Not supported one recommendation, regarding the inclusion of FASD on the List of Recognised Disabilities for Carer Allowance eligibility.
Additionally, the response states that several recommendations do not fall within the remit of the Australian Government, and where relevant, the government will engage further with stakeholders to explore opportunities for action.
This response provides an opportunity to reflect on key areas of progress in relation to FASD, as well as areas requiring further collaboration at both federal and state levels.
Key Government Commitments
The government has fully supported six recommendations, with a strong focus on diagnosis, early intervention, and First Nations-led initiatives. These commitments include:
- Updates to Clinical Guidelines – The Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care will be updated to ensure they align with the 2020 Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol – which encompasses research on alcohol consumption risks during pregnancy.
- Strengthening Diagnostic Capabilities – The revised Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD will be disseminated nationally, alongside additional training for health professionals.
- Streamlining Early Childhood Intervention Access – The National Disability Insurance Agency has been tasked with ensuring that improvements to the Early Childhood Approach will focus on reducing documentary evidence requirements and ensuring families can more easily access appropriate supports for children with developmental delays and disabilities.
- Expanding Early Support for Developmental Stages – The National Disability Insurance Agency has been tasked with ensuring that the reset of the Early Childhood Early Intervention Approach, which has been underway since December 2020, will be enhanced to ensure greater continuity of care, including an increase in the age limit for early intervention from under seven to under nine years, ensuring that children receive consistent support through key developmental transitions.
- Improving Access to Disability Support in Remote Communities – The NDIS Remote Community Connectors Program will be strengthened through consultation with First Nations organisations, increasing its capacity to provide localised, culturally appropriate support in underserviced areas. This includes $18.1 million in funding in the 2024 -2025 financial year for Aboriginal Controlled Organisations and $5 million annually to NACCHO for Aboriginal Disability Liaison Officers who can assist their clientele in accessing the NDIS and implementing their NDIS plans.
- Supporting First Nations-Led FASD Initiatives – Additional funding has been allocated to expand First Nations community-led projects focused on FASD prevention and early intervention. This includes $1.4 million for the Strong Born campaign and approximately $18.4 million to the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation (Congress) for the expansion of the Child and Youth Assessment and Treatment Services (CYATS) program in Central Australia.
These significant commitments represent a positive step forward, reinforcing the government’s ongoing efforts to address FASD through prevention, diagnosis, and early intervention.
Further Consideration and Ongoing Discussions
While the government has indicated strong support for some recommendations, 14 have only received in-principle support at this stage, noting that further engagement, research, and policy development is required before decisions on implementation can be made.
Among these are:
- A national FASD prevalence study, to determine the extent of FASD in Australia.
- A long-term data collection strategy, including consideration of future funding for the national FASD case register.
- A national public education campaign, to build awareness of the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
- An independent study to determine the social and economic cost of FASD in Australia – a recommendation which is intrinsically linked to the availability of Australian prevalence data as noted above.
- Exploration of screening and diagnostic models, particularly in rural and remote communities, to improve accessibility to FASD-related services.
These recommendations are recognised as important, and further discussions with stakeholders will help shape how they might be implemented.
State and Territory Collaboration
A number of recommendations relate to education, youth justice, and child protection. As these sectors fall under the responsibility of State and Territory Governments the Federal Government has noted the recommendations while acknowledging their importance.
Key areas requiring State and Territory engagement include:
- Incorporating FASD education into teacher training and school curriculums.
- Providing professional development for educators to ensure students with FASD receive appropriate support.
- Developing screening protocols for children entering youth justice and child protection systems.
As the government response highlights, collaboration between federal, state, and territory levels will be crucial to ensuring progress in these areas.
Disability Recognition and Access to Supports
The only recommendation that was not supported in the government’s response was the inclusion of FASD on the List of Recognised Disabilities. The government has stated that this document has remained unchanged since 2006, and its policy is to assess each individual based on the level of care required, rather than automatically including new conditions.
This means that while FASD is not listed, carers can still qualify for Carer Allowance by demonstrating the level of care required for their child through the existing assessment process.
Next Steps: Opportunities for Further Progress
The government’s response demonstrates a commitment to key areas of FASD prevention, diagnosis, and early intervention, while also highlighting opportunities for further engagement and policy development.
Looking ahead, key focus areas will include:
- Engagement with State and Territory Governments to explore ways to strengthen FASD. Areas particularly noted as requiring attention are education, justice, and child protection initiatives.
- Continued investment in research and data collection to build a strong evidence base for future policy decisions.
- Ongoing discussions around disability support, to ensure that individuals with FASD and their families receive the assistance they need.
Advocacy in action
NOFASD will continue to advocate strongly for increased support for those living with FASD and their families, as well as increased investment in diagnostic services, research and data collection to inform future policy decisions and advance the recommendations outlined in this important document. NOFASD will provide further updates as these discussions progress and we welcome your support in advocating for a focus on FASD, in the forums available to you.