September is international FASD Awareness Month, which means it is time to put on your red shoes.
The âRed Shoes Rockâ campaign was started in 2013 by RJ Formanek, an adult with FASD who started wearing red shoes to stand out and spark conversations about his âinvisible disabilityâ.
Thirteen years later, and the Red Shoes Rock campaign is going stronger than ever, providing an important opportunity to elevate the voices of those with FASD and raise awareness that women who are trying for a baby and pregnant should not drink alcohol.
Each year, the FASD Hub Australia joins key organisations in Canberra for a Parliamentary event. The collaboration includes the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD), the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and FASD Research Australia NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence. Together, they engage with parliamentarians to raise awareness of FASD and highlight key issues affecting people with FASD, their families and their communities.
With FASD being the leading cause of preventable disability in Australia and an estimated prevalence of approximately 3.64%, equivalent to roughly one child per classroom, there remains much work to be done.
During FASD Awareness Month, this year’s parliamentary event shines a spotlight on the experiences of children and young people in out-of-home care, who are disproportionately affected by FASD.
Learn more about the Red Shoes Rock campaign and see details of events happening across Australia.
âEvery state and territory needs a public FASD assessment service with clear referral links from justice health to enable early diagnosis and intervention for better outcomes,â says Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM, Chair of the FASD Hub Australia.
The 2025 International FASD Awareness Month event at Parliament House brought together advocates, researchers, and policymakers to highlight the link between undiagnosed FASD and the justice system. Hosted by FARE, in collaboration with the FASD Hub Australia, NOFASD, and NACCHO, the event featured powerful discussions, with key priorities including early diagnosis, cross-sector support, and safer housing options.
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FASD Hub Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and we recognise their connections to land, water and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
