Purpose In the early 1970s, clinical evidence emerged documenting causal links between prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and children’s behaviors as observed by child welfare social workers (CWSWs). Unfortunately, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) remain on the margins of public health priorities. The purpose of this study was to elicit the views of child welfare social workers when responding to case of or suspected FASD. Design/methodology/approach A sample (N = 18) of CWSWs, allied health professionals and foster parents were interviewed. Findings Findings indicate that social workers struggle with their statutory duty to plan safe care for children with or suspected of having FASD. Emergent themes include struggling with advocacy, professional devaluation and lack of procedural guidance. Practical implications Social workers need a clear pathway and FASD knowledge to guide their interventions and enhance their capacity to advocate for affected children. Originality/value An abundance of research documents the direct effect of PAE on physical, cognitive and behavioral outcomes. However, few studies focus on the critical interface of children with an FASD entering public care and the social workers responsible for planning their safe care. This study sought to document social workers’ response to this vulnerable cohort of children.

The relationship between social-emotional experiences — number of friends, competitiveness, and self-worth — and changes in bullying behaviour was investigated among students in Grades 5 to 7. This two-wave study included 235 students for the first data collection and 237 students for the second data collection, with a final sample of 227 students who had participated at both time points. Following Zumbo, results of multiple regression analyses, using residualized difference scores, indicated that changes in the school variables (number of friends, competitiveness, and self-worth) were associated with changes in reported bullying behaviour from the middle to the end of the school year. In particular, children’s beliefs about their self-worth were important in predicting changes in bullying behaviour, with increased self-worth being associated with a decrease in reported bullying behaviour.

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