FASD plan

The Government of Yukon is grateful for the honesty and openness of everyone who took part in our public engagement sessions. The following is an overview of the key themes identified by participants:

Awareness

Overall, we heard that Yukoners lack awareness and understanding about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). People need to know more about how to best support people living with FASD and their families. People feel fear about FASD. People are also frustrated by the lack of support in their communities. Health care providers and community members feel they have limited resources to provide support.

Stigma

Stigma was a major theme at all sessions. Lack of awareness about FASD can lead to prejudice and discrimination. We heard that people with FASD experience blaming and shaming in all communities.

Education, training and mentorship

Communities recognized the need for better FASD education, training and mentorship at all levels in order to build awareness of FASD and its impacts. Students and teachers, RCMP, health care providers, social service workers and justice system staff could all benefit from a common understanding of FASD. People also need to learn more about how to use the new information they learn about FASD.

Community and local supports

People with FASD need more supports and services in all communities that are offered by trusted and respected providers. Services could include diagnosis, interventions, supports for teachers, students, and families and prenatal and birthing supports.

We heard that communities need to be supported to lead and coordinate supports and services. We also heard that community members and families don’t know about what resources are currently available.

Strength-based

Despite the many challenges faced by people living with FASD and their communities, we heard about the amazing strengths, resilience and opportunities that exist throughout the territory. People living with FASD bring many positive things to their communities, and we need to acknowledge that.

Elders’ wisdom, traditional knowledge and languages, cultural activities, and the strengths of families and community members can all contribute to better outcomes for people living with FASD and their families. Moving forward, we need to take advantage of these strength-based approaches.

Holistic approaches

There was a lot of discussion about understanding the root causes of FASD. For many, root causes include the intergenerational trauma caused by colonialism, racism and the residential school system. We need to recognize these causes to move forward in a positive way.

Current approaches to supporting people with FASD are at times uncoordinated and inefficient. We need to collaborate in a way that is both comprehensive and meaningful. Our government, First Nations governments, municipal governments, service providers, non-governmental organizations, and families and people with lived experience all need to work together.