The term "adverse childhood experience" refers to a range of negative situations a child may face or witness while growing up. These experiences include emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; emotional or physical neglect; parental separation or divorce; or living in a household in which domestic violence occurs. Other difficult situations include living in a household with an alcoholic or substance-abuser, or with family members who suffer mental disorders, or in a household with an incarcerated family member.

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While some adverse childhood experiences can be prevented, there’s no prevention method for all types of childhood trauma. The best prevention method is to raise awareness within a person’s home and community of how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can affect a person as they grow. This is where SOOAR can help. 

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training is a type of education that aims to increase the awareness and skills of professionals and communities to support individuals who have experienced childhood stress and trauma. ACEs training covers topics such as the ACE study, which showed how ACEs can impact adult health, the neuroscience and epigenetics of trauma, and the strategies to address trauma and create safe environments and relationships. ACEs training is accredited by the Association for Psychological Therapies (APT).

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