FASD Without Borders: Raising a Family, Building a Movement with Cornelia Fornefeld

In this powerful episode of the FASD Success Show, Jeff sits down with Cornelia Fornefeld, a fierce and funny foster mom from Germany who's turning personal adversity into national impact.

Cornelia opens up about the whirlwind journey of raising her daughter Dana, who came into her home at just five weeks old. Despite being a trained social worker and early childhood educator, Cornelia quickly discovered that parenting a child with FASD meant learning a whole new playbook. From chaotic daycare days to total school refusal and aggressive behaviors, she shares what life was like before they knew what they were really dealing with.

After years of misdiagnosis and confusion, Cornelia and her husband pushed for clarity and finally received an FASD diagnosis. But even then, support was hard to come by. So, like many caregivers, Cornelia rolled up her sleeves and built the resources she wished existed.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• The real story of Dana’s early red flags, and how they were misunderstood for years.
• How Cornelia handled aggressive behaviors at home and what finally helped things shift.
• The importance of finding the right school environment, and how one change gave Dana purpose and pride.
• Cornelia’s tips for regulating your child (and yourself!) when things get hard.
• How she used coaching and training to move from reactive to proactive parenting.
• Why Cornelia created "Flausen im Kopf," a business focused on changing the conversation around FASD in Germany.

We also dig into:

• What FASD advocacy looks like in a country with limited diagnosis centers.
• The growing grassroots movement in Germany and Cornelia's major role in it.
• Her upcoming event bringing together 15+ orgs and advocates for a day of training, networking, and community.

Cornelia’s story is raw, inspiring, and full of those lightbulb moments that help you feel less alone. Her honesty about the burnout, the frustration, and the eventual breakthroughs is exactly what so many caregivers need to hear.

So whether you’re deep in the struggle or trying to find your next right step, this episode is packed with relatable moments and real-world strategies.

Tune in and get ready to feel seen, supported, and maybe even a little fired up.

Show Notes: Stay Connected and Empowered

• Join our Facebook community: FASD Caregiver Success Group
• Follow us on Facebook: FASD Success
• Subscribe to the @FASDSUCCESS YouTube Channel

Support the show