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The 9th day of the 9th month is International FASD Day. This is to draw attention to the importance of going alcohol-free for the 9 months of pregnancy. In the UK, we also celebrate September FASD Awareness Month!
This is a whole month dedicated to raising awareness of FASD in the UK, as well as celebrating the amazing day-to-day achievements of awesome people with FASD up and down the country.
As usual, we’ve got loads of exciting things planned for this month, including activities and awareness raising opportunities for you and your loved ones to get stuck into.
National FASD is holding two events online and we have some exciting announcements planned for 9 September
National FASD is providing resources to help people across the UK raise awareness and advocate throughout September.
Online events
We are holding a community briefing about our Cost of Inaction on FASD report on 25 August. On 16 September, we are holding a lunchtime briefing to help people write letters to their MPs. Sign up here.
Here are some social media graphics you can use to share your story this Awareness Month.
National FASD is proud to be part of the FASD UK Alliance, a coalition of independent groups across the UK. The FASD UK Alliance has chosen for its common messaging this month the theme of “FASD Grows Up” and to work in cooperation with an international emphasis on “Everyone Plays a Part”. You can access FASD UK Alliance social media assets here.
When you post, please be sure to use the hashtags:
#FASDGrowsUp
#EveryonePlaysAPart
#NationalFASD (if you are using our graphics)
Cost of Inaction on FASD social media assets (square posts)
Cost of Inaction on FASD social media assets (story posts)
Manchester-based actors, national and local experts gathered to raise awareness on International FASD Day of the risks of alcohol and pregnancy and the need for diagnosis and support for people with FASD
Several well-known Manchester-based actors took to Exchange Square to help raise the profile of the need for better support for those with FASD, an overlooked neurodevelopmental condition that is caused by alcohol-exposed pregnancy. In Greater Manchester alone 1,400 18-year olds are entering adulthood without diagnosis and support. The actors, who said that they hadn’t known enough about this issue, met with people with FASD, their families and national experts from the Greater Manchester FASD Network and The National Organisation for FASD. We highlighted the gap in local commissioning for FASD diagnosis and support, as well as the continued need for funding for FASD services across all localities, given statistics that show more than 40% of UK pregnancies are alcohol-exposed and an FASD prevalence rate of 2-4% of the population according to a gold-standard study done in Salford.
On the 9th of September 2024, International FASD Awareness Day, National FASD joined with members of the Greater Manchester FASD Network, FASD Greater Manchester, NHS Greater Manchester, the University of Salford, Manchester Council, Drymester and more to hang 660 baby vests across the footbridge in Media City, Salford. These vests highlight the number of babies being born with FASD in Greater Manchester in a given year using the 2% figure from the research by Mccarthy et al 2021. The event was covered by local media and the BBC.
If you’d like to learn more how you can do some extra awareness raising, we have several pages loaded with resources and information that can help you do just that. Whether you want to dig deep and take on a bigger project or maybe just give someone some quick facts – there are lots of options here for you.
Show your awareness raising efforts loud and proud with the FASD Awareness Month logo and the #FASDGiveMe5 logo from National FASD and our friends in the FASD UK Alliance! Download and use as you like.
