Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences

Overview

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and they can have lasting, negative effects on health and well-being. They can also negatively impact education and job opportunities.

Children and families thrive when they have access to safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. These relationships and environments are essential to creating positive childhood experiences and preventing adverse childhood experiences.

The harmful effects of ACEs can affect everyone in our communities, and everyone can help prevent and reduce their impact.

Prevention

Parents and caregivers

• Talk to your child about their mental health and provide support for challenges they may be experiencing.
• Help your child learn to recognize and manage their emotions.
• Watch for signs of distress in your child like anger, withdrawal, changes in school performance, sleep or eating, and seek help when needed.
• Look for opportunities to praise your child, as it plays a vital role in their emotional development and self-esteem.
• Seek parenting skill training programs to help build stronger relationships with your children. Explore example program resources.
  

Raising children can be challenging—it's ok to ask for help. Reach out to babysitters, childcare providers, family members, or close friends. Discuss your concerns with your child's doctor. Also consider finding out if your community offers support groups or programs for parents and caregivers.

Everyone

Everyone can help prevent ACEs and promote positive childhood experiences by supporting children and families where they live and work.

Friends, family, and other trusted adults can consider volunteering as mentors at an afterschool program or offering to babysit.

Additionally, we can all support efforts to:

• Adopt policies that provide families assistance with childcare costs and healthy nutrition.
• Adopt policies that help parents balance work and family responsibilities like paid time off for caregiving and flexible work schedules.
• Promote non-violent attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
• Increase access to high-quality childcare and education.
• Provide access to free or low-cost, evidence-based parent training.

What communities can do

Community organizations, like faith-based and youth-serving groups, play a vital role in creating positive childhood experiences.

They can support early development by improving access to quality childcare, preschool programs, and in-home training for child health. Additionally, they can ensure childcare facilities at faith-based or youth-serving organizations are licensed and accredited.

These organizations can also promote healthy relationships by offering programs that teach youth skills to enhance healthy relationships.

Additionally, they can connect young people with positive role models and provide opportunities for skill-building through mentoring programs and after-school activities.

When ACEs do occur, community organizations can provide services like crisis intervention, therapy, and family-centered treatment to reduce harm and break the cycle of adversity.

Public health, social services, education, and other sectors and professionals also play a vital role in preventing adverse childhood experiences.

Why prevention is important

Every child possesses incredible potential for health, well-being, and making a positive impact. When we prevent ACEs, we also prevent potential later involvement in violence, substance use, depression, and suicidal behavior. We also reduce the risk of other health challenges like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

All children deserve the best chance at lifelong health and well-being. Preventing, identifying, and responding to ACEs is the most powerful way to achieve this. Working together, we can help create neighborhoods, communities, and a world in which every child can thrive.

Resources

These are some examples of programs that promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments.

• Early Head Start: These programs are designed to nurture healthy attachments. Services encompass the full range of a family's needs from pregnancy through a child's third birthday.
• Adults and Children Together Against Violence: Parents Raising Safe Kids (ACT): The program teaches positive parenting skills to parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 10.
• SafeCare: The program focuses on creating positive relationships between caregivers and their children, ensuring homes are safe to reduce the risk of child unintentional injury, and keeping children as healthy as possible.
• The Incredible Years: These programs offer a variety of evidence-based early intervention programs for parents, teachers, early childhood educators, counselors, and other professionals who work with children ages 0-12.