The Prevalence of ACE's Explains the Cruciality of Trauma Informed Practice

Why the Prevalence of ACE's Explains the Cruciality of Trauma-Informed Practice

   

In Canada, before the age of fifteen, nine in ten children were victims of child abuse and maltreatment and did not report it to police or child protection services (Statistics Canada, 2017). This tells me that trust is a crucial component when empowering children to feel safe enough to voice their adversities. As an educator, it is pivotal that the autonomy of the children is being fostered in my care to encourage freedom ­­­– what many children who deal with ACE's are restrained from. 

ACE's, also known as "Adverse Childhood Experiences", is the traumatic experiences and encounters that children witness or face first-hand. There are three types of ACE's: Abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Based on the previous mentioned statistics in Canada, it is very likely that most children have experienced at least one type of ACE. It may be hard to determine the signs and symptoms of each ACE because they are not always shown overtly. For this very reason,  enabling a trauma-informed approach is effective, as it ensures safety. Without safety, how can a child even learn in their environment? They won't.  A trauma-informed lens can remove potential triggers in the classroom, which ideally is where children spend most of their time day-to-day.  With the environment being known as the "third teacher", we must pay attention to the structure of the environment and recognize if it is inviting for the child rather than anxiety-inducing.

 Things such as loud noises, bright lights, unexpected noises, and unexpected transitions can all encourage a trigger response in children. The upside to this is that there are strategies that can reduce potential triggers in the space. They may look like this:

Lower/Diffuse lighting                    

 Having fewer materials on the shelf

Soft space or "calm corner" to relax

Predictable events

Be clear and unambiguous in communication

Providing opportunity for choice 

Help children express/label their emotions

Classroom décor that is culturally sensitive 

Do you want to learn more ways on how to create a trauma-informed classroom?  

Go ahead and click this link >>>>> SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ACE

Take an ACE quiz - Click the link >>>> What's it Mean & What doesn't it mean?  

                                         Courtesy of BrittanyC@NU

 

Statistics Canada. (2017). Section 1: profile of Canadian adults who experienced childhood maltreatment. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2017001/article/14698/01-eng.htm