Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

The Government recognises that foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) can have a significant impact on the early years of development for children. As a result, it is crucial to diagnose FASD as early as possible. As part of the prevention efforts around FASD, the Department promotes a precautionary approach by advising that the safest option during pregnancy is to avoid alcohol altogether.

The Department asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to produce a quality standard in England for FASD, to help the health care system improve both diagnosis and support for individuals affects by FASD. This was published in March 2022 and is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs204

Healthcare providers continue to advise pregnant women about the risks of alcohol consumption, document alcohol use, and refer children with probable prenatal alcohol exposure for assessment.