“Nobody knew what to do with her and that’s what we’ve found all the way along”: A guide for Educational Psychologists (EPs) when working with young people with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their families

This study captured the voice of nine adoptive parents and foster carers who parent a child with a confirmed diagnosis of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). During semi-structured interviews, they shared their experiences of the family-school interaction, their perceptions of their child’s experience of school, as well as their experiences of Educational Psychologist (EP) involvement with their child. Using Braun and Clarke’s (2006; 2022) six phases of Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), four themes were identified: ‘Understanding the Individual’, ‘Sense of Belonging’, ‘Collaboration and Communication’ and ‘Knowledge and Awareness of FASD’. The findings highlighted that parents/carers of individuals with FASD consider school to be overwhelmingly challenging for their children. Recommendations for how EPs could undertake a more supportive role in this context are provided.