Words of the Day!

Our launch word is FASD-informed.

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It means understanding FASD as a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition and changing support, expectations, communication and environments around each person’s brain-based strengths and needs. FASD can affect learning, memory, processing, regulation, executive functioning, sensory tolerance, communication, adaptive functioning and vulnerability in different ways, so effective support must be individual, practical and consistent.

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Each daily word will do more than define a term. It will help recognise a hidden need, reframe a difficult moment, choose a practical adjustment, ask a stronger question in a meeting, gather clearer evidence and describe support more precisely in plans such as an EHCP.

Together, the 30 words will create a growing FASD-informed toolkit for home, education, health, social care and wider professional practice.

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Being FASD-informed changes the question. Instead of asking, “Why won’t they?”, we ask, “What is making this hard, and what support does this person’s brain need from us?”

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This is not making excuses, lowering aspirations or removing accountability. It is replacing blame with understanding and turning understanding into proactive, realistic support so success can be safer, more consistent and more achievable.

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Today’s toolbelt action: pause before responding to difficulty and ask, “What does this person’s brain need from us right now?”

Then choose one practical tool: fewer words, more processing time, a photographic visual, a smaller step, co-regulation, repetition, sensory support, scaffolding or an environmental adjustment.

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EHCP phrase: “[Child/young person] requires a consistent FASD-informed approach that recognises their lifelong neurodevelopmental needs. Provision should be based on assessed functional need and should include visual and practical supports, reduced verbal load, processing time, repetition, co-regulation, environmental adjustment, scaffolding and adult support.

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Difficulties should be understood as possible indicators of unmet brain-based need before they are interpreted as refusal, lack of effort or deliberate behaviour.”

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FASD-Informed: Tools for Carers, Parents and Professionals

Everyday example: A child may know a routine but still need a visual, an adult prompt or the steps retaught when they are tired, overloaded or in a different setting. An FASD-informed response provides the support again without shame.

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School example: A pupil who does not begin work may be carrying a high executive load, processing too much language or struggling to identify the first step. Staff reduce the task, organise the materials, model the start and remain available rather than assuming defiance.

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Home example: After a demanding day, a child may have little capacity left for questions, chores or changes. A FASD-informed home response might offer food, quiet, fewer words, predictable routine and connection before adding another demand.

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Professional example: A young person may speak confidently or agree quickly while still needing support to understand, retain, weigh and apply information. Professionals use concrete examples, photographic visuals, extra processing time and checks of real-life understanding.

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Meeting phrase: “An FASD-informed approach asks us to plan from the person’s actual functional needs, not from age, appearance, fluent speech or what they managed once on a good day.”

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EHCP evidence prompt: Record what helps the child or young person succeed: adult prompting, visual information, reduced language, extra processing time, familiar routines, sensory adjustments, co-regulation, modelling, repetition, supervision or a lower-demand environment.

Evidence should show what support was present, whether the skill was safe and consistent, and whether it transferred across settings and adults.

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To stay informed please subscribe for updates further below. 

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Would you like more information about an FASD Informed EHCP?

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Visit our FASD-Informed EHCP guide for practical help identifying needs, gathering evidence, preparing for reviews and writing specific, measurable provision:

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/ehcp

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For FASD Informed Professional Report Writing pop along to our new page linked here: 

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/clinical

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For support with an EHCP consider 1:1 support from an FASD Advocate; find more details HERE

© FASD Informed UK™  All rights reserved.

Today’s FASD-informed phrase is sporadic mastery. This means someone may be able to do something once, or on a good day, but not reliably every time.

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In FASD, memory, fatigue, regulation, processing, stress and sensory load can all affect consistency. A child or young person may appear to have mastered a skill in one moment, setting or situation, but still need support to use it again later, in a different place, with a different adult, or when demands are higher.

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“They did it yesterday” does not mean they can do it today without support.

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This is not laziness, refusal or lack of effort. It is a brain-based support need.

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Practical action: replace “but you did this before” with “what support helped last time?”

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EHCP phrase: “[Child/young person] requires support that recognises sporadic mastery.

Provision should not be reduced or removed because a skill has been demonstrated once, or on a good day. Support should remain in place until the skill is shown consistently, safely and across settings.”

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Sporadic Mastery: Examples for Carers, Parents and Professionals

Everyday example: A child may independently get dressed one morning, but need prompts, visual steps or hands-on support the next day because they are tired, anxious, overloaded or struggling to sequence the task.

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School example: A young person may complete a piece of work once in a quiet lesson with a familiar adult, but be unable to repeat the same skill in a noisy classroom, after a transition, with a different teacher or when working memory is overloaded.

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Home example: A child may manage bedtime steps one evening, then need the same routine retaught, prompted or supported the next night. This does not mean they are being difficult; it means the skill is not yet reliable without scaffolding.

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Meeting phrase: “We need to distinguish between a skill being demonstrated once and a skill being reliable, safe and generalised across settings.”

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EHCP evidence prompt: Record what support was present when the skill was achieved: adult prompting, visual reminders, reduced demand, familiar adult, quiet environment, extra processing time, co-regulation or a good energy day.

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To stay informed please subscribe for updates further below. 

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​

Would you like more information about an FASD Informed EHCP?

​

Visit our FASD-Informed EHCP guide for practical help identifying needs, gathering evidence, preparing for reviews and writing specific, measurable provision:

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/ehcp

​

For FASD Informed Professional Report Writing pop along to our new page linked here: 

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/clinical

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For support with an EHCP consider 1:1 support from and FASD Advocate; find more details HERE

© FASD Informed UK™  All rights reserved.

Today’s FASD-informed word is set-shifting. This means moving from one thought, task, rule, plan or activity to another.

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When set-shifting is hard, a child may appear stubborn, stuck, argumentative or unable to “just move on”.

In FASD, this can be a brain-based difficulty with flexibility and transition, not deliberate refusal or defiance.

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This is not manipulation, opposition or lack of effort. It is a brain-based support need.

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Practical action: give early warning things are moving on, use photographic visuals or objects of transition, offer a bridge between activities and allow recovery time during and after transitions.

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Set-Shifting: Examples for Carers, Parents and Professionals

Early warning example: “In ten minutes we are going to stop Lego and get ready for lunch. I will remind you again in five minutes.”

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Photographic visual example: Show a photo of the next place or activity, such as the classroom door, dinner table, car, toilet, coat peg, calm space or playground.

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Object of transition example: Give the child something linked to the next activity, such as their reading book, lunchbox, coat, swimming bag, favourite regulation item or a card that says “next”.

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Bridge between activities example: “First we are finishing this game, then we are going to take your cup to the kitchen together.” This gives the brain a joining step rather than a sudden stop.

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Supported movement example: Walk alongside the child rather than sending them alone, using fewer words, a calm pace and a predictable route.

Recovery time before transition: Allow a quiet pause, drink, sensory item, movement break or breathing space before expecting the next demand.

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Recovery time after transition: Once they arrive, give a few minutes to settle before asking questions, giving instructions or expecting learning.

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School example: After playtime, the child goes to a predictable chosen quiet spot for two minutes before joining the classroom task.

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Home example: Before leaving the house, the child is shown a photo of the car, handed their coat, and given a simple “coat, shoes, car” visual sequence.

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EHCP phrase: “[Child/young person] requires support with set-shifting and transition capacity. Provision should include planned warning, visual supports, bridging language, adult co-regulation and recovery time so they are supported to move between tasks, expectations and environments without unnecessary pressure or escalation.”

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EHCP objective example: "By the end of the review period, [child/young person] will be supported to shift between tasks, routines, expectations and environments using agreed transition supports, so that adults reduce pressure when they become stuck and provide warning, visuals, bridging phrases, co-regulation and recovery time as standard provision."

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Measurable provision prompt: "Success will be measured by reduced distress, dysregulation or avoidance linked to transitions; consistent use of agreed warning, visual, object-based and bridging supports across settings; and evidence that [child/young person] is given processing and recovery time before and after high-demand changes."

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To stay informed please subscribe for updates further below. 

​

Would you like more information about an FASD Informed EHCP?

​

Visit our FASD-Informed EHCP guide for practical help identifying needs, gathering evidence, preparing for reviews and writing specific, measurable provision:

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/ehcp

​

For FASD Informed Professional Report Writing pop along to our new page linked here: 

https://www.fasdinformed.co.uk/clinical

​

For support with an EHCP consider 1:1 support from an FASD Advocate; find more details HERE

© FASD Informed UK™  All rights reserved.

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