Building Circles of Support, an education series about FASD: a preliminary program evaluation

People with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) may be diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) if they have significant difficulties with at least three different skills, such as memory. Families of children with PAE and FASD often experience challenges, including high levels of caregiver stress and difficulties with relationships. Therefore, it is important to offer support for children with FASD and their families, and to learn whether these services are effective. One study found that caregivers with a greater understanding of FASD were less likely to think that children’s misbehaviour was intentional and more likely to think that the behaviour was because of brain differences. Believing that children’s misbehaviour is intentional is related to poorer caregiver and child well-being. Therefore, a better understanding of FASD may benefit children with FASD and their families. The purpose of this study is to examine whether participating in Building Circles of Support (BCS), an education series about FASD, changes participants’ understanding of FASD and child behaviour, and caregivers’ thoughts about themselves as parents. We would also like to identify who benefits from participating in BCS and learn about gaps between what participants hoped to learn and what the sessions offered to further strengthen the programming. Information will be gathered by survey before and after BCS. Results of this study will be used to: a) understanding the benefits of participating in BCS, b) determine whether BCS could support a broader group of participants, and c) inform the development of future support efforts for this population.