This handbook aims to support action to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by providing professionals and organisations with guidance on implementing work to prevent ACEs, build resilience, and develop trauma-informed organisations, sectors and systems. ACEs include child maltreatment1 (such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse) and other stressful experiences within the first 18 years of life, such as exposure to family and intimate partner violence or substance abuse by parents or caregivers. These experiences have the potential to alter a child’s developing brain and biological systems. ACEs can have an immediate physical and psychological impact on a child, but can also increase the risk of later behavioural, health and social problems that impact individuals, communities, societies, and health and other services [2]. That said, many individuals do not experience adverse outcomes from ACEs, displaying resilience to their harmful effects. Individuals with access to sources of resilience, such as positive coping strategies, trusted adult relationships, or good community support, have the resources available to cope better with their experiences and avoid harmful impacts.

This handbook explains what you need to know about ACEs, resilience and trauma-informed organisations, sectors and systems. It draws from previous evidence-based interventions, policies and strategies relating to exposure to individual or multiple ACEs and describes how to move from knowledge to action. To support continuous improvement in tackling ACEs, the handbook highlights the need for rigorous evaluation of action to ensure that future work to prevent ACEs, build resilience and develop trauma-informed organisations, sectors and systems adds to a growing evidence base.

This handbook draws on extensive research on ACEs, resilience and trauma-informed practice, including promising and effective programmes of work to prevent ACEs and mitigate their effects; presented in the accompanying report ‘Tackling Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): State of the Art and Options for Action’ [2].

The handbook is intended for use alongside the State of the Art report, providing practical information to enable action. Some of the evidence that forms the basis of this report focuses on work to prevent or respond to child maltreatment and other ACEs and build resilience although, as a relatively new concept, not all evidence was described as trauma-informed at the time that it was published.