What are ACEs?

The term Adverse Childhood Experiences was first used in an American study published in 1998. The study was designed to understand how childhood experiences affect adult health. This study identified a link between a person experiencing adversities in childhood and their physical and emotional health, life choices and behaviours into adulthood.

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Neglect

  • Physical

  • Emotional

Abuse

  • Physical

  • Emotional

  • Sexual

Care giver experiences

  • Divorce or Seperation

  • Addiction

    When a care giver abuses drugs, alcohol or gambling

  • Domestic Abuse

    Physical, verbal, financial, coercive control

  • Mental Illness

  • Prison

As many of us will have experienced, these are not the only adversities that can happen to us as children. There are other significant stressors that we can face growing up that can have the same impact as the original 10 ACEs. These adversities can be in the home where you grow up, or in the environment you grow up in.

Other common adversities are:

Additional Adverse Childhood Experiences in the household – as identified by our Liverpool community

  • Family Conflict and Violence

  • Bereavement

  • Young Person Has Caring Responsibilities

  • Poverty

  • Online Harm

  • Displacement

  • Criminal Activity

  • Long-term Unemployment

Additional Adversities in the Environment – as identified by our Liverpool community

  • Lack of Opportunity or Growth

    Limited leisure, education, employment, opportunities and social mobility

  • Discrimination

    Percieved status, locality, race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, past history

  • Fear of Unsafe Neighbourhood

    ASB, knife and gun crime, gang culture, county lines, exploitation

  • Inequality of Resources

    Services, access to healthcare and schooling

  • Low School Attendance

    Limited support and value placed in education from care givers and community

  • Divisive Political and Media Commentary

  • Isolation

    Language barriers, relationships, activity

  • Online, school, workplace, community, family

    Online, school, workplace, community, family

  • Socio-political Events

    War, climate change, pandemic, natural disasters

  • Lack of Trust in Authority

    Collective lack of trust that the people in power can make things better