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3,000 NZ children are affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Peata Melbourne has this report, but under privacy laws,
we cannot identify the child in the report.
This girl is only 10 years old and has grown up
suffering from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
These are her foster parents
who know only too well the impact it has had on her life.
It's a disability that is unrecognised in New Zealand.
Health experts held the first
ever conference on alcohol harm to children in Wellington today.
One in six adults has a potentially harmful drinking habit.
3 out of every 4 Maori adults are drinkers,
with one of those three being binge drinkers.
The problem is accessibility to alcohol is made easy,
but to access the support services
required to deal with the effects of alcohol?
That's another story.
This family's hopes rest upon increasing
the understanding around FASD,
and to have clinics where families can go to for extra support.
Peata Melbourne, Te Karere.