Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are stressful/traumatic events or experiences that occur in childhood. They can include:

  • domestic violence
  • parental abandonment (separation/divorce)
  • having a parent with mental health problems
  • being a victim of abuse (physical, sexual and/or emotional)
  • being a victim of neglect (physical, emotional)
  • a member of the household being imprisoned
  • adults in the household experiencing drug use or alcohol problems

 

The term was developed in the USA for the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, which linked ACEs to the development of health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, during a person’s life.

Information of ACEs in Scotland can be found on the NHS website.

The Scottish Public Health Network produced a report in 2016, ‘Polishing the Diamonds – Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences’, which summarised the research and identified areas for action in Scotland.