How many people in the general UK population have experienced ACEs? Click here to read a 2018 report
Students experiences of trauma are more common than we might think. Click here for a summary of the UEL research on students experiences of trauma.
Click here to read a briefing from the British Psychological Society about ACEs
Women, LGBTQI+ communities,
ethnic and racial minorities, people with disabilities, and those living in poverty, are
disproportionately exposed to ACEs.
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Exploring the causes of trauma
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Click here to see a short video that explains how our early experiences affect brain development
Exploring: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Trauma can happen to anyone at any time. It can be as a result of one single incident, or prolonged exposure to stressful events or to a dysfunctional environment.
When this happens in early childhood, it affects how the brain grows and develops. If early experiences are overwhelmingly traumatic, our brains adapt to that reality and learn to function accordingly. They teach our brains to respond and adapt to perceived threats. This can have a significant impact on our ability to think, learn and interact with others.
Think of the construction of the human brain like the building of a house. First we lay the foundations, and then we build the structure. If those foundations are weak, or if defective materials are used during construction, the house will be less sturdy and problems may occur but perhaps not until many years later.
Traumatic experiences that happen before the age of 18 are known as Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. Click here to see what defines an ACE.
