What are ACEs?

The acronym ACEs stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. ACEs are stressful incidents or environments which children experience, and which have the potential to cause long-lasting trauma. The ten most commonly measured ACEs are: physical, sexual or emotional abuse, emotional or physical neglect, mental illness, substance misuse, an incarcerated relative, domestic abuse, and parental separation.

In the infographic below, we show a variety of ACEs and the impact they can have on peoples' lives.

*Image source: Wave Trust (https://www.wavetrust.org/adverse-childhood-experiences)

Why is it important to understand ACEs?

Childhood trauma is at the root of many social and personal issues in our society. Studies from the US, UK and elsewhere show clearly that ACEs can significantly raise the likelihood of over 80 negative life outcomes, including suicide attempts, alcoholism, drug addiction, criminality, mental ill health, heart disease, liver disease, obesity and many more. Here's an example of how that might happen.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences study was a landmark piece of research conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US in the 1980s. It was the first large scale study to look at the relationship between 10 categories of adversity in childhood and a myriad of health outcomes in adulthood, such as increased risk of depression, suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, smoking, physical inactivity, severe obesity, sexually transmitted disease, unintentional injuries, heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, and multiple types of cancer.

(*Image source: CDC – Kaiser ACE Study)

Watch the video below to understand how ACEs affects the life of a child growing up

Facts and stats

• Nearly half of people in England experience at least one ACE, with around 9% experiencing four or more ACEs (Blackburn & Darwen Study)
• Six ACEs can reduce your life expectancy by 20 years
• For every 100 adults in England, 48 have suffered at least one ACE during their childhood and nine suffered four or more

This data is taken from a presentation by Public Health England and references the National household survey of adverse childhood experiences and their relationship with resilience to health-harming behaviours in England (BMC Medicine 2014)

The original ACEs study, which was conducted in the US, found that around two-thirds (64%) of the 17,000 individuals included in the study reported at least one ACE, with over a quarter (26%) suffering physical abuse and a fifth experiencing some form of sexual abuse. Around one in eight individuals (13%) had experienced four or more ACEs.

*Image source: Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning (https://www.ghll.org.uk/mental-health/aces---adverse-childhood-experiences/)

Why do we need to introduce the ACEs study in Somerset?

People in Somerset are living longer than they used to, but there is an increasing gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy; typically, fifteen years of life can be spent with a long-term condition or conditions. Mental health is a major issue for Somerset and affects around 70,000 people at any one time. This often influences and is influenced by multiple factors including low educational attainment, social isolation, unemployment and financial and relationship problems. It is estimated that lifestyle factors, environmental and societal factors together account for 60% of health issues (compared to genetic inheritance at 30% and healthcare provision at 10%). The most important reason we need to do more to support health and wellbeing and address inequalities is the impact this will have on the quality of longevity of life for individuals. However, doing so will also help address our financial position. It costs far less to help someone stay healthy than it is does to treat and support them when they have become ill.

ACEs online offers an Introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences Early Trauma through Online Learning 

With the current pandemic, we can view that all of our students (and us as adults) will have experienced an adversity during this time. This course is free and has been funded by the Home Office Early Intervention Fund for Practitioners, professionals and volunteers who work with children, young people and their families.

https://www.acesonlinelearning.com/

Further ACEs guidance

Lifelong implications of childhood adversity: The science of Adversity - PowerPoint presentation, podcasts and more ACEs information 

www.ehcap.co.uk/news/the-science-of-adversity

A general introduction to what happens in the brain after children face traumatic experiences in childhood, like abuse and neglect

Our future will be shaped by what we do today!

Science tells us that a child’s experiences from conception through their first five years will go on to shape their next 50. It tells us that the kind of children we raise today, will reflect the kind of world we will live in tomorrow. It tells us that investing in the start of life is not an indulgence, but economically, socially and psychologically vital to a prosperous society.

Over the last nine years The Duchess of Cambridge has heard this first-hand from those who are tackling some of society’s toughest challenges. She has seen over and over again how often problems can be traced back to the earliest years of someone’s life and it has become her ambition to bring about change in this area. This research, published in November 2020, captures the perceptions of the public in relation to Early Years and where we need to focus.

State of the Nation: Understanding Public Attitudes to Early Years

The Somerset ACEs Framework has been developed in partnership with SCC Public Health, Educational Psychology, Safer Somerset Partnership, CCG, NHS, EHCAP