Living with adverse childhood experiences (ACE) is not just challenging due to the direct impact of trauma. It can also be quite isolating, particularly if there are no other children or adults around that have navigated similar situations or know how to provide effective support. One of the most valuable ways to help children with ACEs thrive is to build more resilient and trauma-informed communities.
Trauma itself can be a complex condition and what one child may find helpful may not be effective for another. Nevertheless, adopting holistic yet agile frameworks of support provides an invaluable base to build more tailored recoveries.
Develop Safe Environments
One of the most meaningful steps to take in building a resilient and trauma-informed community for children with ACEs is to improve their day-to-day environments. After all, children — no matter their challenges or previous experiences — have a right to feel their home neighborhood is a safe space. As a result, it’s a responsible step for community members to adopt measures that strengthen the security and comfort of its most vulnerable residents.
Wherever possible, it can be wise for community leaders to work with professionals experienced in supporting children with ACEs. They should collaborate in gaining information about how children experience the effects of trauma in their everyday experiences. This may include sounds, images, or even public behaviors that trigger difficult emotions. It should certainly involve getting to understand the types of features and atmospheres that tend to boost a sense of safety.
From here, communities can work with local government agencies to make adjustments to public spaces. For instance, many smart cities are installing smart streetlights to boost safety and deter crime. These systems have sensors that monitor movement and low lighting conditions, ensuring areas are always well-illuminated. This can not only discourage criminals and minimize accidents, but it can also help children feel safer during darker times. Ultimately, making these small but impactful adjustments make environments that are positive for everyone and support kids with ACEs as they navigate their healing process.
Create an Ecosystem of Initiatives
It should certainly be a given that children living with ACEs require — and deserve — impactful resources. Many of the most powerful resources are provided by the community that can meet the needs of all children. Unfortunately, there aren’t always tools available nearby to meet these needs, particularly in rural communities. It is, therefore, the hallmark of a supportive, resilient, and trauma-informed community to build a local ecosystem of non-profit initiatives that help fill these gaps.
These initiatives don’t have to be complex in nature. Many nonprofit organizations can operate from home effectively. This may include refugee housing and support for children who have experienced trauma in war zones. Food banks can be valuable to those who are living in poverty, who may find food insecurity a source of psychological hardship. Mentorship programs, too, can be a vital resource for providing children with skills, advice, and direction to further resources. Importantly, each of these resources offers children access to reliable and supportive adults they can trust.
However, without regular funding and — in some instances — expertise, community initiatives can be difficult to sustain in the long term. Community members should make contact with local and federal government agencies, as many offer grants and other forms of resources. For instance, in 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided $62.4 million in grants to develop child trauma centers in communities.
Provide Robust Educational Resources
Helping children with ACEs navigate their challenges isn’t just dependent on safe environments and effective resources. The community members that surround these children can also be influential in influencing positive outcomes. Unfortunately, not everybody is well-versed in the details of adverse experiences, the difficulties that can arise from these, and how to interact with affected children. Therefore, all communities must prioritize this education.
This should certainly begin in schools. Ensuring that schools, homeschooling parents, and community leaders provide trauma education from an early age may help children to better understand and navigate their adverse experiences. It also means their peers have the tools to recognize the signs of trauma and provide support.
It’s also important to provide adults in the community with a practical education in trauma. This could involve workshops in community centers or workplaces. Local groups could also share online videos and blog posts related to the short- and long-term impacts of trauma and appropriate strategies for helping and interacting with those who have experienced it. However, it’s important to ascertain the credibility of such resources before sharing them, preferably seeking guidance from experts in the field.
This commitment to education doesn’t just provide a range of well-informed adults to help children through their immediate adverse experiences. Rather, continued learning can be instrumental in making the whole community more resilient to trauma for generations to come. While there’s no avoiding ACEs completely, the reduced stigma resulting from a better-informed populace can help children and adults alike feel able to open up about their challenges and seek the support they need.
Conclusion
Building a resilient and trauma-informed community can help children navigate ACEs. It’s important to start by establishing a safe and supportive daily environment and starting community initiatives that provide solid resources. Childhood and adult education on the subject of trauma can also enable community members to understand their own ACES and support others living with them.
It’s important to remember, though, that general community resilience is simply a good framework to build from. There’s also a responsibility to minimize the causes of trauma for children. This often requires greater infrastructural and even legislative changes to tackle issues such as homelessness, substance abuse, and poverty — among others. Communities can make an impact by also directing initiatives toward meaningful change.
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