Strong Spirit Strong Future
Promoting Healthy Women and Pregnancies
The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign is an initiative of the Drug and Alcohol Office's State-wide Aboriginal Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Prevention Project. The Project was funded by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership Agreement funding for four years and commenced in July 2010.
This 'Promoting Healthy Women and Pregnancies' Campaign was first launched on World FASD Day in September 2011, following extensive consultation with Aboriginal people and key stakeholders. The overall aim of this campaign is to improve awareness among Aboriginal people, families and communities in metropolitan, regional and remote Western Australia of the harms associated with alcohol use in pregnancy to prevent the occurrence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Key message
The safest thing to do when pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, is not to drink alcohol.
Target groups
Primary: Aboriginal people, families and communities across Western Australia, with a particular focus on women of childbearing age.
Secondary: Health workers who work in settings that provide services to Aboriginal women, their families and communities.
Objectives
- Increase awareness of the NHMRC 2009 guideline stating that the safest thing to do is not to drink alcohol when pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. 1
- Increase awareness of how to support a healthy pregnancy, by not drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
- Increase awareness of the existing supports that can assist people to not drink alcohol in pregnancy, while planning a pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Increase awareness of services to help people reduce harmful alcohol consumption in general.
- Increase understanding of the role that family and community play in women's behaviour regarding drinking alcohol while pregnant, planning a pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Increase community ability to support people who wish to reduce drinking while pregnant, planning a pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Resources
- NHMRC alcohol guidelines
- Alcohol and pregnancy - A resource for health professionals - (DAO0005) order from Department of Health online publication order system
- Alcohol and pregnancy - A4 fact sheet
- No alcohol in pregnancy is the safest choice - wallet card for women - (DAO0007)
- Strong Spirit Strong Future - Alcohol and your baby
- Strong Spirit Strong Future - Resource order form
- Strong Spirit Strong Future - Community poster
- Strong Spirit Strong Future - Women’s poster
Campaign Audio
Related Information
Strong Spirit Strong Mind
Strong Spirit Strong Mind promotes the uniqueness of Aboriginal culture as a central strength in guiding efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related harm among young people.
Alcohol and Pregnancy
Alcohol can affect the growth of the baby in pregnancy. For women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy, not drinking is the safest option.
- 1
National Health and Medical Research Council 2009, Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, Commonwealth of Australia 2009.
