Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the most common single aetiological cause of lifelong neurodevelopmental issues with an identified rate of 4% of the UK general population and up to a third of other groups, such as those in care. As the Royal College of Psychiatrists supports a focus on this condition with an upcoming college report, the session will begin by highlighting the current need for identification from a parent with lived experience before cutting edge research being conducted in the UK will be presented. This will include the exploration of epigenetic biomarkers as a possible target to identify alcohol exposure in the child, before a review of an international collaboration delinting the impact of pre and postnatal exposure effects to help understand the dual effect of alcohol exposure and neurodevelopment alongside postnatal trauma and neglect. The Session will conclude by presenting recent evidence from a RCT of a newly developed parenting intervention that has to date been conducted in the UK , demonstrating the hope for an altered trajectory for those diagnosed, supporting the children and their families and preventing long term secondary consequences, including Serious Mental Illness (SMI). Overall the session will explain to attendees the current state of work with FASD in the UK and internationally, highlighting a rapidly growing and developing expertise in one of the most common but under recognized neurodevelopmental conditions.
Learning objectives
By the end of this webinar you should be able to:
• recognise the current needs of individuals with FASD and their families from psychiatrists related to FASD
• understand the developing trends in biomarker recognition of alcohol exposure in pregnancy
• better be able to delineate the dual effect of prenatal exposures and postnatal adversities on the child and adults presentation
• be aware of developing interventions that may alter the trajectory of a child and family living with FASD."
Speakers
Chair: Professor Raja Mukherjee, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Redhill
Mrs Sandra Butcher, National FASD, Hertforshire
Professor Arijit Mukhopadhyay, University of Salford, Manchester
Dr Alan Price, University of Salford, Manchester
Professor Penny Cook, University of Salford, Manchester
Funding
RCPsych International Congress is financially supported by the purchase of exhibition stand packages. A full list of confirmed exhibitors can be found here: Exhibiting Organisations at International Congress 2026
Availability
This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2026 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2026 package can be purchased below.
