The Saskatchewan First Nations Family and Community Institute (SFNFCI) is proud to present the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Resource Guide and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Resource Guide, designed as a one-stop hub for our partners and members.

This guide was originally developed through the 2021–2022 Disability Research Project, funded by Indigenous Services Canada’s (ISC) Disabilities Initiative. Building on that foundation, research continued in 2023–2024, when SFNFCI partnered with Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) to identify and address gaps between jurisdictions for individuals living with disabilities on reserve. Based on those findings, SFNFCI and MLTC  continued the partnership for 2024–2025. The goal of this collaboration was to develop resources and capacity-building solutions for MLTC and its nine First Nations communities. This updated Resource Guide reflects the latest research from the 2024–2025 project and represents current knowledge and understanding of ASD.

For the past nine years, SFNFCI has been actively conducting a Disabilities Research Project to address the gaps in knowledge, practices, and services on/for First Nations children with disabilities in care and on reserves. The information-co-created with agencies, caregivers, and communities has increased the capacity of agencies to identify barriers to accessibility within the agency, community, and surrounding areas, looking towards solutions for children and youth with disabilities.  

 

Following this practice of creating relevant and useful information, guided by those we serve, we compiled this resource guide as a way for child welfare staff, support workers, caregivers, social workers and other professionals to access information and resources in a timely manner for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). 

 

When developing this Guide, we soon realized that Indigenous-specific information about Autism and related services are hard to find in Saskatchewan. We also acknowledge that the people working in the child welfare system have demanding jobs, and they may not always have the time or human resources to search for much-needed information. As a result, we hope that this guide will answer some of the questions you might have about ASD or FASD.

 

As you go through the document, remember to use it as a guide to understand the complexity of ASD. It is NOT a diagnostic tool. Remember that every child is unique, and no two children will experience strengths and challenges in the same way.