Understanding ACES and Protective Factors The Power of

Understanding ACES and Protective Factors: The Power of Early Experiences SMART START CONFERENCE May 5, 2015

Who We Are? … What We Know? • I have heard about the ACES study • I have heard about Strengthening Families • I can name the Five Protective Factors • I understand the importance of Trauma Informed Practices

Toxic Stress, Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) • Toxic Stress – re-occurring negative experiences that threaten safety or security • Trauma – an intense event that threatens safety or security of an individual; emotional response to event • ACEs – Traumatic or disruptive things that happen in childhood

What are ACEs? Adverse Childhood Experiences • ACEs are experiences in childhood that are unhappy, unpleasant, hurtful • Sometimes referred to as toxic stress or childhood trauma

ACEs often last a lifetime. . . but they don’t have to • Healing can occur • Cycle can be broken • Safe, stable, nurturing relationships heal parent and child

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study -1998 Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, CA 17, 300 Adults tracked health outcomes based on childhood ACEs 75% Caucasian, 39% college graduates, 36% some college, living wage jobs with insurance; median age 57 yr. old

What are the Adverse Childhood Experiences? 1. Child physical abuse 2. Child sexual abuse 3. Child emotional abuse 4. Physical Neglect 5. Emotional Neglect 6. Mentally ill, depressed or suicidal person in the home

What are the Adverse Childhood Experiences? 7. Drug addicted or alcoholic family member 8. Witnessing domestic violence against the mother 9. Loss of a parent to death or abandonment, including abandonment by divorce 10. Incarceration of any family member

Complete ACE Questionnaire • What does it make you think about? ? • Keep in mind your thoughts as we present the ACE Study ? ? ?

ACE Scores • 1/3 of adults have an ACE score of 0 • The majority of adults with a score of 0 have few, if any, risk factors for diseases that are common causes of death in the United States • A score of 4 or more results in having multiple risk factors for these diseases or the disease themselves • A score of 6 or more results in a 20 year decrease in life expectancy

Family Centered Practice, June 8, 2007

Adverse Childhood Experiences vs. Adult Alcoholism

Childhood experiences underlie chronic depression

ACE score vs. serious job problems

ACEs Info Graphic

Early Brain Development • Nurturing, responsive, and individualized interactions from birth build healthy brain structure • Healthy brain architecture is the necessary foundation required for optimal future learning, behavior and health

Early Brain Development • Experiences shape brain architecture • Brains are built from the bottom up • Serve and return • Cognitive, emotional and social development are connected • Brain development is most intense before age 5

Our Challenge • We can and must “immunize” kids against the effects of ACEs • We can and must reduce the numbers of ACEs for all children!

Building strong families and protective factors can help reduce ACEs

Protective Factors • Are conditions that increase health and well being • Promote stability and resilience • Are buffers that provide support and coping strategies

Protective Factors that Strengthen Families • Parental resilience • Social connections • Knowledge of parenting and child development • Concrete support in time of need • Nurturing and positive relationships

Factor 1: Parental Resilience Take action Gather resources Recognize challenges Communicati on skills Coping strategies Make good choices Acknowledge feelings Belief system Problemsolve Hope

Factor 2: Social Connections – Build friendships with others Talk about children and parenting See other parents “in action” SOCIAL SUPPORT Vent frustrations Trade child care Share joys & challenges of parenting Give and get advice Share resources

Factor 3 - Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development c Basi child ble Teacha ts momen Mod eling a obse nd rvat ion ent m p lo deve mation infor Challen ging behavio rs Discipline alternatives Techniques

Factor 4: Concrete Supports • • • Food Shelter Clothing Job Training Education Health Care Substance Abuse Domestic Violence Mental Health Specialized Services for Children

Factor 5: Building Nurturing and Attachment • Observe, attend and listen to children • Provide safe and stable home life • Model caring behavior • Respond to child’s needs • Use positive discipline • Notice and reinforce child’s strengths

Successful Community Strategies • Parent Café conversations • Parent Leadership • Professional Trainings

What are Parent Cafés? • Parent Cafés are a series of guided conversations using the World Café technique to encourage six factors that promote child development and build strong families • Conversations increase community wisdom, build parent voices and facilitate action to improve lives for children • Conversations are led and hosted by parents and community partners

Parent Café Activities • Over 200 parent café sessions have been held, serving 2, 399 adults and 3, 809 children • Key parent café themes are collected and summarized for strategic community planning • Build Your Bounce Trainings • Great Ways to Stretch a Dollar • Five Ways to Support Your Growing Child - handout

Parent Leadership • Creation of a parent ambassador role with 12 parent leaders trained and leading 62 parent sessions • Tennessee resource www. parentsknowkidsgrow. org

Professional Trainings • Parent Café Facilitator Trainings – Tips, Tools & Techniques • Build Your Bounce Trainings • Working with Children of Trauma • Living the Protective Factors Training • Together 2 Thrive Conference: Building Community Resilience • Trauma Smart model – Kansas City 3, 821 Professionals trained 2011 - 2014

Trauma Informed Practices • Young children experience trauma differently than older children or adults • Primarily a sensory experience • Limited ability to express thoughts and feelings • Different understanding of causation Source: National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Trauma Informed Care and Prevention • Understand impact of trauma for adults and children • Screen for trauma exposure and toxic stress • Teach strategies for preventing stress and trauma • Refer to prevention /intervention services as appropriate

Trauma Screening • Ask what happened rather than what’s wrong • Unresolved trauma in parents may lead to toxic stress for children • Data base of trauma screening tools at National Child Traumatic Stress Network: www. nctsn. org

Strategies for trauma prevention and treatment • Emphasize what young children need – safety, security, nurturing • Support caregivers and teach coping skills- selfcare, stress management • Enhance Protective Factors • Refer for Services – Mental health treatment, substance abuse, violence

Information and Resources – Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) • ACE Study findings and information www. acestudy. org or www. cdc. gov • Children’s Resilience Initiative www. resiliencetrumpsaces. org • National Children’s Movement www. movementforchildren. org

Information and Resources – Protective Factors • Center for the Study of Social Policy www. cssp. org • Children’s Trust Fund Alliance www. ctfalliance. org • Community Resilience Cookbook www. communityresiliencecookbook. org

Information and Resources – Trauma / Toxic Stress • National Child Traumatic Stress Network: http: //www. nctsn. org/resources/topics/ • SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach http: //www. samhsa. gov • Michigan Trauma Informed System Website www. michigan. gov/traumatoxicstress • Trauma Smart – Kansas City http: //traumasmart. org/

for the Opportunity! Contact information: Donna Lackie, Early Childhood Consultant and Great Start Coordinator Oakland Schools 248. 209. 2229 Donna. Lackie@oakland. k 12. mi. us