This workshop is designed to increase participants’ ability to support individuals who have experienced traumatic events. It aims to promote understanding of how childhood trauma impacts a child’s beliefs, behaviour, and development and provide staff and volunteers with supportive trauma-informed tools and strategies.
The Scottish Government has called for increased understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Scotland.
The term ‘ACE’ was developed following a study in the United States to assess the association between
childhood maltreatment and wellbeing in later life. Tackling the impact of ACEs is a priority for the Scottish
Government which has made a commitment to prevent and mitigate ACEs and to support those affected.
The Scottish Health Survey 2019 looked at ACE’s which included 
- growing up in a household in which there are adults experiencing harmful alcohol and drug use
- being the victim of abuse (physical, sexual and/or emotional)
- neglect (physical and/or emotional)
- having a parent with a mental health condition
- a member of the household being in prison
- having separated parents
The Survey findings were that –
71% of adults reported experiencing at least one ACE
15% reported four or more ACE’s
Evidence found that compared to people with no ACE’s, those with four ACE’s or more are statistically:
3 times increased risk of heart disease, respiratory disease and type 2 diabetes
4 times more likely to be a high-risk drinker
5 times more likely to have low mental wellbeing
14 times more likely to have been victim of violence in the last 12 months
15 times more likely to have committed violence
16 times more likely to have used crack cocaine or heroin
20 times more likely to have been in prison at any point in their life.
And those in the most deprived areas were almost twice as likely than those
in the least deprived areas to experience four or more ACEs.
ACE INFORMED CARE WORKSHOP 
By the end of the workshop participants will have
- Developed their understanding of ACE’s and trauma
- An appreciation of how trauma affects the brain
- Increased awareness of how ACE’s affect behaviours
- An awareness of protective factors for building resilience
- An understanding of how building resilience can help mitigate the impact of ACEs.
- A set of practical tools to help manage behaviour and promote resilience
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone who has an interest in learning about the impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental wellbeing. The course will be of particular use to those who work with or care for children who have experienced ACE’s
