No; the Department of Social Development does not have nor intend having a policy for Social Workers to make enquiries about the extent in which a mother was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy when a child with problematic behavior is taken to children’s home or another form of care .
However, the Department of Social Development has assessment tools that are being administered when children including children with FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) are admitted to a children’s home or another form of care. The assessment tools provide the social workers with background information of every child including the family circumstances of the child. Additionally social workers can access information from other health care workers to assess the impact of the family and environmental circumstances on the behavior of the child.