Aboriginal leaders in Western Australia call for greater FASD support seven years after coronial inquest

Aboriginal leaders in Western Australia's far north are calling for greater government support for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), as local schoolchildren march to raise awareness.

The calls for FASD treatment support come seven years after a coronial inquest into the deaths of 13 children.

Warning: This story contains references to suicide and self-harm.

FASD is a permanent neurodevelopmental condition that occurs when a fetus is exposed to alcohol in the womb, often leaving children struggling with learning, impulsivity and understanding consequences.

A 2019 coronial inquest into the deaths of 13 children and young people over a four-year period in the Kimberley examined factors that made them vulnerable to suicide, including possible neurodevelopmental impairment.

Coroner Ros Fogliani found circumstantial evidence FASD played a role in some of the deaths and recommended increased government funding for FASD prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

However, seven years on, Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (MWRC) chief executive and Gooniyandi, Kija woman Emily Carter said many of the coronial recommendations remained unfulfilled.

'Fighting for our children'

Last week, more than 200 people marched through Fitzroy Crossing, 2,600 kilometres north of Perth, waving banners for International FASD Awareness Day.

Ms Carter said the community had been fighting for better support for children and families for decades.

"We are a very strong community, and we're fighting for supports for our children and their families every day," she said.

The 2010 Lililwan study, completed by MWRC and Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services (NCHS), found one in five Fitzroy Valley children had FASD, among the highest rates globally.

NCHS senior support officer Ishmael Croft said inadequate support could leave young people with FASD especially vulnerable if they encountered the justice system.

He also cited a 2018 study at WA's Banksia Hill Detention Centre, showing more than a third of assessed children had FASD.

Call for early diagnosis

WA Children's Court president Hylton Quail last week told ABC Perth access to FASD assessments in the Kimberley was crucial for children before the court.

"The big problem we have is I cannot get the necessary specialists to do assessments, let alone treatment, north of Perth," he said.

"We do not have enough psychiatrists and paediatricians working in the childhood space to do this work."

MWRC strategic priority lead Sue Thomas said waiting until a child entered the justice system overlooked the need for earlier support.

Coinciding with the march, MWRC launched a culturally safe FASD health resources program.

"No person goes out to deliberately harm their unborn child," Ms Carter said.

"But we also know for women things have happened in their lives, whether it is domestic violence, or homelessness.

"We have trauma-informed resources to fully understand how trauma has and continues to impact our families and children."

Government defends FASD response

A state government spokesperson said it had responded to the coroner's inquest with educational, health and social programs.

"Schools across the Kimberley are also working with families and local organisations to improve engagement and attendance for primary school students, including those affected by FASD," they said.

"This includes On Country learning programs, support from school psychologists, and access to specialist FASD training and resources to help staff better understand how FASD can affect a child's learning, behaviour and engagement at school."

The spokesperson highlighted a progress report on the coronial findings would be released later this year, "providing a further update on the implementation of the recommendations".