What are ACEs and why are they important?
An ACE is an Adverse Childhood Experience. ACEs can negatively affect brain development, disrupt the normal stress response and impact the immune system so profoundly that effects show up decades later when the child is an adult. The term ACE was first coined in the CDC-Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experience study. This study revealed that childhood trauma leads to a greater probability in later life of chronic disease, emotional health issues, violence, being a victim of violence, as well as financial and social problems.
What is the purpose of the ACEs forum?
The ACEs forum was set up for a number of reasons. Primarily the forum was established to help disseminate learning about ACEs between local practitioners, enabling us to become more trauma-informed in our services.
By becoming more trauma-informed, we will be better equipped to understand our own behaviour as well as the behaviour of children and adults in our community. This will provide us with a deeper insight into what might best help our service users.
