A film screening of Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope was held on 22 February to hold a conversation around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s).
Ceredigion County Council hosted the screening at the National Library of Wales to over 50 participants, ranging from young people to professionals. The screening was followed by a question and answer panel to address the ACE agenda in Wales and further discuss how organisations can take an ACE informed approach in their work.
Brian Evans from Ysgol Llwyn yr Eos, Billy Goodfellow from the Family Support Team and Dr Sion James from Tregaron Surgery all spoke of their experience. The audience shared ideas on how to prevent ACE’s and how to identify and intervene when they are present.
Leader of Ceredigion County Council, Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn welcomed people from a wide range of services and backgrounds and spoke about the importance of the film in developing ACE awareness and supporting our communities to improve the early years experiences of our children and reduce levels of health harming behaviours. Councillor ap Gwynn went on to say, “ACE’s is an important framework for us all in developing future services. The film is an important step in raising awareness more widely across Ceredigion.”
The film details the evidence linking the biology of stress and ACE’s to major illnesses. A person who has experienced four or more adverse experiences including family separation, domestic violence, drug use or mental illness are 15 times more likely to become a victim of violence.
Since the publication of research in Wales in 2015, identifying and addressing ACE’s has become a significant organising framework across public services (including education, public health and the police).
A follow up event will be held for children and young people at the Morlan Centre on Monday, 12 March 2018 from 4:30pm. This will be an opportunity to develop the next steps that services can take to identify and improve responses, looking at what works currently and what can be done to support young people moving forward.
More information regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences can be found on this dedicated website www.aces.me.uk.
For more information or to discuss further, contact the Family Support Team on 01545572649 or timteulu@ceredigion.gov.uk.
05/03/2018