FASD-CAN’s Education Advisory Group (EAG) is comprised of a voluntary group of FASD-informed professional educators working alongside parents and caregivers whose mahi is based in the education sector. The purpose of the EAG is to provide advice, input and support to the work of FASD-CAN on issues relating to the education of FASD ākonga / students in Aotearoa.
In particular, the EAG helps FASD-CAN in the following ways:
FASD-CAN appoints members to the EAG as and when required and membership is capped at a maximum of 8 members. Each EAG member is initially appointed for a term of 24 months, which may be renewed for a further 24 months if the member and FASD-CAN agree. FASD-CAN’s Principal Advisor, chairs and supports meetings of this group.
If you’d like to know more you can contact Kim Milne, Principal Advisor at [email protected]
Stephanie is CEO of FASD-CAN, but as well as her background at Caring Families Aotearoa, education has played a large part in Stephanie’s past mahi. She began her career as a primary school kaiako / teacher before moving onto specialising in teaching Deaf/hearing-impaired tamariki.
Stephanie was Manager of Special Education for the Ministry of Education for a decade and led a team of 17 specialists from various disciplines to work in schools with staff, parents and ākonga/students with disabilities, communication difficulties and challenging behaviours.
Tina has been the Principal of Kingslea School since 1998, where she delivers education to tamariki and rangatahi throughout New Zealand. These students are in Oranga Tamariki youth justice and care and protection residential care, or edge-of-care non-residential placements, throughout New Zealand.
FASD was the focus of Tina’s sabbatical in 2019, where she attended the 8th International Research Conference on FASD in Canada and visited SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) schools in the United Kingdom.
Trish is mother of four adult children and grandma to seven. Her youngest daughter, who joined their family as a 14-month-old and is now 24 years old, lives with FASD.
Four years ago Trish moved to the RTLB (Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour) service. Previously she had worked as an SLT (Speech Language Therapist) then as a teacher in a Special School, for ORS (Ongoing Resourcing Scheme) funded students.
Tracey is a full-time advocate for her young adult son. She was a qualified primary school teacher for 10 years, and has also taught at secondary school level. She has volunteered as a learning support assistant at secondary school level for students who did not qualify for funding in the classroom. She supported the ESOL teacher at the secondary school to prepare and deliver lessons at the students’ educational levels.
Currently Tracey helps run an FASD support group, and she attends community network meetings to help raise awareness about FASD and FASD-CAN.
Fiona is a Practice Leader in the Tai Tokerau South RTLB Cluster. She has been an RTLB since 2005. Fiona developed an interest in FASD when struggling to support a student with FASD; this experience was the basis of her desire to become an RTLB. A focus of her work is to support RTLB and teaching staff to take a strengths-based approach, understanding that some students are having difficulty not being difficult and to have practical ways of working which promote genuinely inclusive classrooms.
Dr. Vicki Hargraves is an experienced early childhood teacher and centre leader and now works in early childhood research dissemination and course development. She is a committed advocate for the inclusion and acceptance of all forms of diversity within early childhood educational practice, and has both professional and personal interest in neurodivergence.
