Who We Are

We are ÉNDpae

ÉNDpae is an all-island parents’ and carers’ support group dedicated to supporting people affected by NDpae and their families. It also promotes education for professionals and public awareness of the condition.

Our Professional Advisory Panel

Dr. Rod Densmore

In practice from 2006-early 2019 offering care at the Kamloops Primary Care Clinic and also at the Urban Aboriginal Health Centre in the North Kamloops, British Columbia for disenfranchised patients who would otherwise have difficulty accessing medical services. Rod also provides the physician part of Adult FASD assessments for the FASD Okanagan Valley Assessment and Support Society, which is located in Vernon, BC and in the past has done assessments for the Asante Centre for FASD, which is located in Maple Ridge, BC. Since 2001. Rod has undertaken 6 multi-day training sessions on diagnosis of FASD. He has presented workshops about FASD at two Canadian Psychiatric Association annual conferences and numerous University of British Columbia (Vancouver), Canadian Bar Association and FASD caregiver conferences. Rod has written a book/DVD series called FASD Relationships and has served on several BC provincial committees that serve patients with FASD and related issues. Over the last 2 years Rod has served on a panel that developed the paper and submitted for publication: Treatment Algorithm for the Use of Psychopharmacological Agents in Individuals Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol and/or with Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Together with his wife Rod parents of a young adult who has FAS

David Gerry

BSc Biology & Psychology

David, inadvertently began his intensive “home study” course on FASD when he and his wife became foster parents to two children with FASD. In 2000, he co-founded a charity (The FASD Community Circle – Victoria) to develop programs & services for those with FASD. The Circle set up the first children’s then adult FASD assessment and diagnostic clinics on Vancouver Island. The Circle also provided monthly support groups for families (including those who identified as prenatally exposed). In the past 2 years he has also published 5 articles in four Irish education journals and is a consultant on a successful housing project for women with FASD, addictions and mental health challenges.

Dr. Alan Price

Research Fellow, University of Salford, Manchester UK.

Alan Price has researched the impact of traumatic childhood experiences on cognitive and behavioural functioning in children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). His four-year study found that the difficulties seen in children with FASD are similar with or without trauma, which suggests that prenatal alcohol exposure is the main driver behind those difficulties. Alan concluded that, although trauma should never be overlooked, children with both exposures may benefit more from services designed for FASD than services designed for trauma. This research has led to a new project, where Alan and his colleagues are developing a parent training programme designed specifically for FASD issues. He is also involved with a study to estimate the prevalence of FASD in the Greater Manchester area.

Maria Catterick

Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) and Masters in Community Development.

Maria, has cared for more than 60 children over 15 years as a Foster Carer.   Gaining first-hand insight into the impacts of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Maria has worked to raise awareness of the condition.  Her desire for social change in FASD resulted in her founding FASD Network UK which has seen many young people receiving a diagnosis and local families getting connected to support groups and services. She was a UK Big Society Award winner in 2013 for her role as both a foster carer and her FASD initiative. She also gained a FASD Champion Award in 2017. 

Maria also co-founded the FASD UK Alliance which aims to encourage FASD organisations to develop their support for families and to work together to promote awareness. She is keen to bring ongoing encouragement to groups and came to know the ENDpae cofounders through those links. Maria, is an ambassador for FASD and provides training, consultancy and advocacy services in order to raise awareness of the condition and to provide input about service and support requirements. Maria is a speaker at conferences both in the UK and internationally.

Author:
Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Guide to Fasd for Parents, Carers and Professionals – Maria Catterick and Liam Curran.

 

Róisín Reynolds

Róisín is a qualified psychiatric nurse and nurse tutor with a Degree in Addiction Studies. She is also a qualified teacher. She has worked in the drug and alcohol field since the early 90s in both clinical and managerial roles. During this time she also worked as a reviewer for the Health Care Commission. Róisín has facilitated workshops at several national conferences. Her current role as Senior Advisor for Alcohol Exposed Pregnancies at the Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership, is to lead on an initial 2 year ‘proof of concept’ programme to reduce alcohol exposed pregnancies and progress towards an ambition of ending new cases of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She is also a member of the  advisory committee for the NICE FASD quality standards.

Dr. Larry Burd

Director of North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Centre.

Dr Burd is one of the best-known names in the world of FASD research and practice; he has authored hundreds of papers on FASD, Autism, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, Preeclampsia and other conditions. He has also written books on FASD, ADHD and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and several book chapters on FASD and Tourette’s. Dr Burd is active in several ongoing research projects, has appeared on news broadcasts and other video media to discuss FASD and other interests, and is the recipient of several awards for his work in FASD, Tourette’s, and other conditions.