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Adverse childhood experiences are traumatic events occurring before age 18, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction. These experiences can significantly impact a child’s brain development, emotional wellbeing, behaviour, and long-term physical and mental health outcomes.
ACEs can disrupt emotional regulation, learning ability, and social development. They increase risks of anxiety, depression, behavioural issues, and chronic health conditions later in life, especially when children lack supportive relationships or protective environments.
Child maltreatment includes physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and neglect. These harmful experiences are key ACEs that can lead to trauma, affecting trust, attachment, brain development, and long-term psychological and emotional wellbeing.
Protective factors include supportive caregivers, stable environments, positive school relationships, mental health support, and early intervention services. These factors help reduce the impact of ACEs and promote resilience, recovery, and healthy development in children.
Professionals can support children by using trauma-informed approaches, providing safe environments, building trust, identifying early signs of trauma, and referring to evidence-based interventions that promote emotional healing, resilience, and long-term wellbeing.