Adverse Childhood Experiences
What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?
Traumatic events that happen in childhood can deeply define a person’s life. ACEs are typically centered around neglect, abuse, or household dysfunction. These experiences undermine a child’s sense of safety, stability, and relationships with others.
Adverse Childhood Experiences by The Numbers
3 in 5
3 in 5 Georgia adults experienced at least one adverse event during childhood.
$147 bn
Traumatic events cost the United States an estimated $147 billion in 2020.
1/3
One-third of U.S. adults experience symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Those who have experienced ACEs are more likely to experience longer-term physical ailments such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, obesity, and suicide.
See what they feel…
Mental Illness
Homelessness
Divorce
Incarceration
Neglect
Violence
Abuse
Death
Addiction
Adverse Childhood Experiences
We Can Act to Mitigate The Impact of Trauma
One effective way to respond to trauma and prevent future ACEs is to become trauma-aware through training. There is a wide range of courses to help you to better understand childhood trauma and become an advocate for children in our community.
Our goal is to change the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”
The HOPE framework recognizes that positive experiences help children grow into healthier adults.
The 4 building blocks each provide the foundation for healthy childhood development.
In 2024, the HOPE framework has been the backbone of Cobb Collaborative’s work.
The Four Building Blocks of HOPE
The Four Building Blocks of HOPE provide an accessible, actionable way of talking about the key types of PCEs:
Relationships
Safe and supportive relationships within the family and with other children and adults.
Environment
Safe, equitable, and stable environments where children can live, learn, and play.
Engagement
Opportunities for social and civic engagement to develop a sense of belonging and connectedness.
Emotional Growth
Opportunities for emotional growth where children feel supported through difficult events and emotions.
Developing a Trauma-Informed Community
Developing a trauma-informed community involves a cross sector collaboration of stakeholders, residents, and community partners to improve the wellbeing of the children and families residing here in Cobb County.
Goal
To increase awareness of trauma and provide resources to equip the community to prevent and intervene in Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Partners
- Nonprofits
- Educators
- Public Agencies
- Faith Leaders
- Governments
- Parents
- Healthcare
Tools
- Trainings
- Film Screenings
- Community Events
- Educational Programs
- Digital Resources
- Toolkit
Outcomes
- Increased awareness of ACEs
- Incorporation of trauma-informed practices
- Well-equipped parents and caregivers
- Children succeeding in school
- Thriving families and improved community health
Resiliency is Vital to Overcoming Trauma
Even when adversity happens, children can still become healthy, happy adults by building resilience. We can protect children against physiological damage by fostering resilience through:
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Close relationships with competent caregivers or other caring adults
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Caregiver’s use of positive parenting skills
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Having a sense of purpose through faith, culture, identity, etc.
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Gaining skills and competencies like problem-solving and autonomy
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Opportunities to connect socially
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Practical and available support services for parents and families
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Communities that value people and support health and personal growth
The Cobb Collaborative leads the Cobb County council for Prevent Child Abuse Georgia. We work with other organizations to build awareness and prevention of childhood abuse and neglect in our community.
