Jersey’s dedicated Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder clinic has diagnosed just two children since its launch almost three years ago, it has emerged.

The Health Minister revealed that, to date, only two children had received an early diagnosis of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) since the specialised service was launched in September 2023.

Deputy Tom Binet also confirmed that a further nine children remain under ongoing assessment, a process that can take “several years” due to its complexity.

He revealed the dedicated FASD service only has the capacity to assess around six children per year due to the “extensive, multidisciplinary evaluations required”, with two new referrals already awaiting review in 2026.

Deputy Binet acknowledged that “cognitive domain assessments cannot be reliably completed until approximately seven years of age” for most children, meaning many cases remain in limbo for extended periods.

The Health Minister was responding to a written question from Deputy Catherine Curtis, who previously urged the government to create a dedicated FASD strategy after a local campaigner warned Jersey was failing to properly recognise and support those living with the condition.

Andy Wright, who runs a support group and has a son with FASD, previously welcomed the introduction of specialist clinics in Jersey as “great news”, but warned that awareness among frontline professionals remains dangerously low.

“There is a dearth of FASD understanding in the island,” he told Express in 2023, adding that key services are “very much in the dark with regard to what FASD is”.

Mr Wright argued that this lack of knowledge was creating “a tangible lacuna between diagnosis and support” for those affected.

FASD is a neurodevelopmental condition which is caused when a person is exposed to alcohol before birth.

It is a lifelong condition that can affect learning, behaviour, memory and social interaction. While there is no cure, early intervention can help reduce long-term difficulties.

However, diagnosis is far from straightforward. Evidence of alcohol exposure during pregnancy must be formally documented, and children often require extensive, multidisciplinary assessments across areas such as cognition, language, memory and behaviour.

A study by researchers from the University of Salford in 2021 found that the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the UK is estimated to be between 1.8% and 3.6% in the general population. This would translate to around 3,000 islanders in Jersey.