May 19, 2020

New and updated data describing childhood adversity and resilience are now available on kidsdata.org. The data cover more counties than previously offered and provide greater detail on childhood adversity. Also, in partnership with the Essentials for Childhood Initiative, you can now access data dashboards for every county in California.

Adversity and Resilience Data
See the latest parent reported data on childhood adversity and resilience in California. Based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, 38% of California children had at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) during 2016-2018, and almost 4% had four or more ACEs. This measure includes nine types of ACEs. Statewide, the largest percentage of children experienced economic hardship or parent divorce (18% to 21%), but 7% were exposed to alcohol or drug abuse in the household and 5% had a family member with mental illness. County-level data show that the percentage of children experiencing two or more ACEs varied widely in 2016-2018, from 8% in San Mateo County to 30% in Humboldt County.

Child Adversity and Well-Being Dashboards
Access adversity and well-being dashboards for California and for all counties on ACEs Connection. These dashboards are a compelling way to tell a story of child adversity, health, and well-being using key data findings. They describe periods across the child life course, from pregnancy and birth, through early/middle childhood and adolescence. Every county’s dashboards are customized based on available data to ensure that all parts of California have equivalent information to address childhood adversity and promote protective factors. Partners across sectors can use dashboards to support decision-making and promote action to maximize health and well-being for babies, children, and youth.

These dashboards are a product of the Essentials for Childhood Initiative (EfC), a CDC-funded child maltreatment prevention project hosted by the California Departments of Public Health and Social Services.

Additional Resources on Adversity and Resilience

ACEs Aware, an initiative led by the Office of the California Surgeon General and the Department of Health Care Services, shares a toolkit that describes ACEs science and provides guidance on how to screen for and respond to ACEs.

For a framework that promotes positive childhood experiences, read Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences.

COVID-19 Resources on Children

During this difficult time, Kidsdata continues to work on behalf of children and families. If you have resources about children and COVID-19 to share, please contact us at kidsdata@lpfch.org. We have included a few selected resources below.

Coronavirus in Kids (COVKID) Tracking and Education Project, by The Women's Institute for Independent Social Enquiry, compiles epidemiologic surveillance data on COVID-19 in children and teens to present timely data for clinicians, public health practitioners, policymakers, elected officials, and journalists.

A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development, from the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, pulls together resources that can help parents, caregivers, child care providers, pediatricians, and others who work with families.

The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health continually updates a curated list of COVID-19 Resources for Children with Special Health Care Needs.