ABOUT THE HUB
Welcome to the Hub! I am Velma and I established the FASD Legal Rights Hub because for too long I have seen individuals with FASD and their families routinely denied access to their basic legal rights. Many are unaware that they have enforceable rights at all or find that those rights are disputed or ignored.
FASD is poorly understood and often not recognised as a disability, forcing individuals and families to fight for basic recognition before legal protections are even considered. The Hub exists to make the legal relevance of FASD visible, to equip people with the knowledge needed to understand, assert and protect their legal rights and to provide practical, accessible legal information for individuals, families and professionals.
Across education, social services, employment and the criminal justice system, poor understanding of FASD results in systemic disadvantage. Individuals are frequently unsupported and there is widespread confusion about what legal rights exist and how they can be enforced. In the criminal justice system this creates a real and ongoing risk of miscarriages of justice. A significant proportion of people affected by FASD are also care-experienced, placing them among the most under-served and under-represented groups in society. The cumulative effect of this disadvantage is profound.
I am an employment and equality lawyer with over 20 years’ experience practising in top-tier firms. The rule of law applies equally to everyone. No one, including the government and the local authority, is above the law. As a lawyer I am proud of our legal system and the protections it provides but I have seen first-hand that justice is not equally accessible to everyone – particularly to the most vulnerable. As a mother of care-experienced, disabled children, I bring lived experience to my work on the Hub. I have had to fight for the legal rights of my own children and I understand the frustration, isolation, unfairness and exhaustion that many families experience. The combination of professional and personal insight shapes the Hub’s focus on how justice operates in real life, not just in theory.
I created this Hub out of hope for a better future for those touched by FASD and to play my part, however small, in creating change and leaving this world a little better than I found it.
If you are an individual affected by FASD
Knowledge is power. I hope to empower you to understand and use the law to achieve positive outcomes for yourself, your family and those you care for.
If you are a professional or an organisation
I hope to help you remain legally compliant, understand equality in practice, and support you to improve outcomes for individuals with FASD by reducing the barriers they face.
If you work in the media, legal field, or social justice sector
I hope you find this site informative and it encourages collaboration to promote equal rights and justice for those affected by FASD.
The Oak Tree – Symbolising the Hub’s Values
Resilience: Oaks stand firm with deep roots and strong trunks. They’re a clear symbol of endurance. The Hub aims to offer that same foundation – solid, reliable support that helps the FASD community stand firm through constant challenges.
Protection and generosity: An oak’s broad canopy offers shelter, and its acorns sustain life. That reflects the Hub’s role as a safe place where people can find guidance and resources, freely and without barriers.
Hope and regeneration: Even when cut back, oaks regenerate and thrive. That mirrors the experience of people with FASD whose rights are repeatedly overlooked or restricted. The Hub grows in response -fuelled by hope – to strengthen and empower those affected.