For Parents & Carers
No FASD Service Near You?
Many areas do not yet have an FASD pathway. These are the routes families can try.
FASD Compass · fasdcompass.co.uk/no-local-fasd-service/
If you have been told there is no FASD service in your area, you are not alone. National FASD reports that most NHS Integrated Care Boards do not yet fund FASD diagnosis and support (National FASD). The national guidance in NICE QS204 still applies, and there are routes you can try. Work through them in order.
Routes to an Assessment
1
Ask your local team to consider FASD
Many children with FASD are seen by community paediatrics or a neurodevelopmental team for other reasons. Ask the team to consider FASD as part of that assessment, and to record any history of alcohol in pregnancy. Take the evidence checklist and the guide for GPs with you.
2
Ask about an Individual Funding Request
If the right assessment is not available locally, your GP or paediatrician can ask your Integrated Care Board (ICB) to fund an assessment elsewhere. This is called an Individual Funding Request (IFR).
- Only a clinician can apply. Families cannot apply themselves.
- The request has to show why your child's needs are exceptional, so the evidence from the checklist matters.
- Each ICB has its own policy, and some say they will not normally fund specialist FASD assessments. Ask your GP to check yours.
- If a request is turned down, ask the clinician about the ICB's review process.
3
The National FASD Clinic
The National FASD Clinic is an NHS service run by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. It assesses children and adults and accepts referrals from across the UK. Funding usually has to be agreed by your ICB first, often through an IFR (UK Government FASD health needs assessment). Check the clinic's website for its current referral process.
4
Adopted children and special guardianship (England)
The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) pays for therapy and specialist assessments for eligible families. Ask your local authority or regional adoption agency for an adoption or special guardianship support needs assessment.
- The fund does not pay for a standalone FASD assessment. An FASD assessment can only be funded as part of a wider specialist assessment focused on trauma and attachment, led by a qualified clinician, that results in a therapeutic support plan.
- There is a limit of £3,000 per child per year. A specialist assessment of up to £2,500 comes out of that total.
- The fund is confirmed for 2026 to 2027, with support continuing into 2027 to 2028.
5
A private assessment
Some families pay for an assessment privately. Before you book, ask the provider:
- Do you follow SIGN 156, and assess all 10 areas of brain function?
- Is the assessment carried out by a multidisciplinary team, such as a paediatrician, psychologist and speech and language therapist? SIGN 156 says this is essential.
- Will I get a written report and a management plan?
- Will my local NHS team and my child's school accept the report?
- What is the total cost, and what does it include?
6
Ask why there is no service
NICE QS204 says children with probable alcohol exposure and significant difficulties should be referred for assessment. You can write to your ICB to ask how it meets this standard locally. Use our template letter. Your local Healthwatch collects feedback on gaps in NHS services, and your MP can raise it too.
While You Wait
Support does not have to wait
Your child can get help at school, and you can get help at home, before any diagnosis. See While You Wait for what you can ask for now.
Talk it through
The National FASD helpline (0208 458 5951) can talk you through options for your area. Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may find services work differently, so it is worth asking.
Sources: NICE QS204: nice.org.uk/guidance/qs204 · National FASD Clinic: sabp.nhs.uk/fasd · ASGSF: gov.uk/guidance/adoption-and-special-guardianship-support-fund-asgsf · FASD health needs assessment: gov.uk/government/publications/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-health-needs-assessment · SIGN 156: sign.ac.uk/media/1092/sign156.pdf · National FASD: nationalfasd.org.uk/national-fasd-responds-asgsf
Last reviewed: November 2026 by Dr Inyang Takon, Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician. For information only. This page does not replace advice from your own doctor.