Network established to support families

Network established to support families, appoints Judge as Patron

FASD-CAN media release 21 October 2014

FASD-CAN Incorporated, a non-profit organisation set up to support people affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), is thrilled to announce that Auckland Judge Tony FitzGerald has accepted their invitation to be the organisation’s first patron.

Chairperson for FASD-CAN Mrs Claire Gyde says the organisation is honoured to have Judge FitzGerald accept the invitation.

“This was an easy decision for us,” she says. “Our organisation is only a year old but in that short time it was obvious that Judge FitzGerald demonstrates the high level of commitment and compassion that the members of FASD-CAN aspire to for their affected loved-ones. This appointment is a really positive step for us.”

Within the Judiciary and the Justice community, Judge FitzGerald has worked to increase the recognition of FASD and awareness of its implication when a young person with FASD falls foul of the law. FASD is the result of pre-natal alcohol exposure. It is a brain-based disability involving significant learning and behavioural problems. Immaturity, impulsivity, not learning from experiences and the need to please are hallmarks of the disability, which can easily lead the young person down the wrong path.

Mrs Gyde says FASD is a misunderstood and hidden disability and it takes knowledge and skill to recognise when offending is the result of pre-natal brain damage.

“Those with FASD require a different approach rather than the standard punitive model and we feel fortunate to have people like Judge FitzGerald helping us to make the changes needed. Families can feel crushed under the strain of raising their children with FASD. There is a real need for greater inter-agency collaboration and help.”

Judge Tony FitzGerald is a District Court and Youth Court Judge based in the Auckland region. He works in solution focused Courts which provide a non-adversarial, co-ordinated, inter-agency method of addressing legal and social problems. As well as aiming to ensure that offenders are held accountable and victim’s issues are resolved, these Courts monitor how the underlying causes of a person’s offending are addressed so as to reduce the risk of reoffending.

Ends:

www.fasd-can.org.nz

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