A new Canadian study is taking a closer look at something that can sometimes get missed when we talk about supporting students with FASD: how the people caring for them are doing.
The researchers found that many caregivers of people with FASD are carrying a lot. High stress, limited social support, financial pressures and disruptions to employment were common. Caregivers supporting more than one person with FASD reported greater stress, and caregivers of younger children experienced significantly higher stress than those caring for adults.
While this research focused on caregivers, there are some important takeaways for teachers and other education staff.
Students don’t arrive at school separate from what is happening in their family.
Understanding the pressures families may be navigating gives us another lens for building strong, supportive relationships between home and school.
What can education staff do?
- See the bigger picture. A missed meeting, unanswered email or overwhelmed caregiver may have much more behind it than we realize.
- Make communication easier, not harder. Clear information, flexibility and a quick check-in can reduce one more demand on an already stretched family.
- Treat caregivers as partners. They often have years of knowledge about what works, what doesn’t and what their child needs to be successful.
- Share the good things. Families shouldn’t only hear from school when something has gone wrong. Noticing strengths, progress and successes matters.
- Use FASD-informed approaches. When school environments better fit how a student learns and functions, we can reduce stress for both the student and their family.
- Help families connect. Education staff don’t need to solve everything. Sometimes helping a family find their local FASD Network or another community support is an important first step.
The study reminds us that caregiver well-being is influenced by the environment around families, including the supports and relationships available to them. Schools are part of that environment. A strong relationship with a teacher, educational assistant, administrator or school team can make a bigger difference than we sometimes realize.