Join us on Wednesday, 25 November 2026, 12.15 pm (AEDT) for a 90-minute live workshop hosted by the AEDPA. While the session will be recorded, participants are strongly encouraged to attend live!
Workshop Description
Sometimes, a young person’s presentation seems familiar at first.
They may have difficulties with attention, executive functioning, learning, emotional regulation, adaptive skills or social functioning. They may already have a diagnosis of ADHD, a learning disorder or autism, or a history of trauma and environmental adversity. Supports may have been put in place, yet somehow, the pieces still do not quite fit.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can be one of those missing pieces.
FASD remains frequently under-recognised, and its presentation can overlap considerably with other neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions commonly encountered by Educational and Developmental Psychologists. Difficulties may be attributed primarily to behaviour, motivation or environmental factors, while the underlying neurodevelopmental profile goes unidentified. Recognising when FASD should form part of our clinical thinking can therefore make an important difference to assessment, formulation and support.
In this workshop, Dr Julia Shekleton will take us from recognition to assessment to practical support. We will explore the neurodevelopmental profile associated with FASD, why it can be missed or confused with other presentations, and the indicators that may emerge across learning, attention, executive functioning, adaptive behaviour and social-emotional functioning.
Julia will then examine the psychologist’s contribution to multidisciplinary FASD assessment and diagnosis, including key assessment domains, interpretation of cognitive and adaptive profiles, differential diagnosis, and when referral may be warranted.
Importantly, the discussion will not end when the assessment does. We will also consider how assessment findings and formulation can be translated into meaningful classroom and learning supports, inform individual learning plans, and help teachers and families better understand and respond to the needs of a young person with FASD.
Through case studies and applied examples, participants will leave with greater confidence in recognising students who may warrant FASD assessment, a clearer framework for contributing to assessment and diagnosis, and practical FASD-informed strategies for educational settings.
About the Presenter
Dr Julia Shekleton is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with more than fifteen years’ experience working alongside paediatricians and allied health professionals to assess and support children and families with neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, ADHD, FASD, specific learning disorders, and complex medical and mental health presentations.
Julia completed a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) at Monash University following an Honours degree in Behavioural Neuroscience. She has held roles with Western Health and The Royal Children’s Hospital and currently works at Monash Children’s Hospital within the VicFAS and FASDConnect teams, alongside her private practice in Melbourne’s inner east.
Julia works collaboratively with educators across early childhood, school and tertiary settings and provides training to health, education and community professionals. She is AHPRA-endorsed in Clinical Neuropsychology, an approved supervisor and a Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. She has also been actively involved in clinical research, with multiple peer-reviewed publications, and conducts clinical trial assessments.
