Students With Adverse Childhood Experiences

This chapter explains adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their impact on children’s physical and mental health. It provides an overview of the research and literature on school-based interventions designed to reduce the impact of ACEs at the individual and systems level. An overview of trauma-informed care (TIC) is presented as a guide for mitigating the short- and long-term effects of exposure to childhood adversity. Steps for implementing TIC are also provided with specific examples of school-based interventions and websites to inform school personnel on strategies to reduce the consequences of ACEs. A practice example demonstrates the application of TIC in schools, and a trauma-informed checklist is provided to aid schools in establishing TIC practices and policies.