As part of our ongoing initiatives to support people with FASD, their caregivers, families, and whānau, we have developed a set of cards you can carry with you at all times in case of need.
We'd like to acknowledge the work of many other international organisations before us to provide cards like this, and hope you will find them a useful addition to your kete of support strategies.
FASD cards are useful for letting other people know the supports you need to help you cope in specific situations.
There are three cards for people with FASD and three for caregivers and whānau.
Click here to jump to caregiver cards.
If you have FASD and you need to interact with people in stressful situations (you might even be having a meltdown), it's normal to find it hard to think clearly. In times like this, your ability to effectively communicate your needs and rights will almost certainly decrease, so it can be very useful to have a card like this to explain important things to the people around you without having to try and talk.
We have developed three cards that you can use in different situations:
All of these cards can be personalised with your name and three support person's contact details. There is further information on the back of these cards - they are double sided.
Please click on the cards below or on the links to download and read.
The information card can let people around you in the community know what’s happening if you are having difficulties when you're out and about. You can hand it to a nearby person to read (perhaps while you sit down and do some calm breathing, or take some timeout). If necessary, you could ask them to call one of your support people. Click here to download.
The FASD medical card lets medical professionals like doctors, nurses, and emergency responders know you have a brain-based disability or mental health condition, how this affects you, and what they can do to support you in medical situations. If necessary, you could ask them to call one of your support people. Click here to download.
We encourage people with FASD to present and use the FASD police card if you are interacting with the police and other areas of the justice system. This can include the district court, lawyers, parole officers, or other people in authority who have the power to charge you with a crime or an offence of some kind.
This card should be presented whether you are being questioned formally or informally because it gives important information about the way your brain works. The FASD police card also lists the contact details for your support people who can be called to support you. Click here to download.
• The templates are provided in pdf format.
• Decide which card/s you want to have available in your wallet.
• Access each card by clicking on the pictures above. You can download them and open them in a programme like Preview, and use the type tool to type in your details. If this is too hard, no problem – you can write your details in by hand once your card/s are printed out.
• If you have a printer that can print double-sided, you can print out your chosen card/s yourself. If you don’t have a printer, you can email the file to a local printer (or download it to a memory stick and take it to them) and ask them to print it on light card. Warehouse Stationery stores are usually very helpful – click here to find one near you.
• Once printed, cut the card out (or ask your printer to), fold and keep in your wallet or phone wallet.
To keep the FASD card/s in good condition we recommend either laminating your card/s or placing them in a clear card sleeve cover.
An alternative to keeping a hardcopy of the cards in your pocket or wallet.
Once the cards are printed and filled in with your details, just take a photo of the front and back of each with your phone. Then either add to your 'favourites' in your photos, create an optional wallpaper with them, or upload to your Notes on your phone – you can 'pin' the photos to the top of your Notes folder so they are always there and you can click through to them easily to show people your details.
When stressed or upset, you often forget things or find it hard to communicate – this is even harder for someone with FASD. You might forget you have your card/s! This is why we recommend practicing and role playing situations as to when and how you would use these FASD wallet cards. Get a friend or whānau member to help you create a pretend 'stressful' situation where you need to say who you are and what has happened – and then practice remembering to get your card out to show them!
Notes
You know your person with FASD best. Is assistance during a meltdown going to be helpful or make things worse? Caregivers, family and whānau can use these cards in a meltdown situation, or even use them pre-emptively if they notice known environmental and sensory triggers in their location, or if there is an increased agitation or dysregulation in their child’s behaviour.
We have developed two cards for caregivers that you can use in different emergency situations: a 'Do not intervene' card and an 'I need help' card. They have further information on the back – download to read.
Our third card is simply for handing to people who may be interested in FASD – an information card which will take them to our website to find out more.
If you'd like to print lots of these cards we have set them up as a full page that you can use to have them properly printed – see below.
This card can be given to nearby people during a meltdown to help educate the general public about FASD, to stop unfair judgement of your parenting skills, unhelpful comments, suggestions or body language from onlookers that can make things worse.
Click here to download full page for print.
Sometimes dysregulation in people living with FASD can result in such frustration that lashing out can be a possibility. This can be used if you are being, or are likely to be physically hurt during a meltdown. Caregivers and whānau must ensure their own safety and if members of the public do not know the situation they may be reluctant to intervene.
Click here to download full page for print.
One of our members requested this card at the FASD-CAN Hui 2023. She said 'sometimes people ask me about FASD and I'd love to educate them – but I will usually have my children with me and I don't necessarily want to talk about it in front of them.' We thought that was a great idea, so here it is.
Click here to download full page for print.
Click on the relevant full page links above to download and print – your local Warehouse Stationery or printer can help with this.
These cards are the same size as business cards; once printed on light card you can keep a few in your wallet or card holder.
