Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
The Burke Foundation supports children and caregivers to help prevent, protect against, and heal from the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences.
“Childhood trauma increases the risk for seven out of ten of the leading causes of death in the United States. In high doses, it affects brain development, the immune system, hormonal systems, and even the way our DNA is read and transcribed. Folks who are exposed in very high doses have triple the lifetime risk of heart disease and lung cancer and a 20-year difference in life expectancy.”
– Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Founder of Center for Youth Wellness and current Surgeon General of California
For children, whose brains are still rapidly developing, frequent exposure to highly stressful experiences can result in long-lasting, negative impacts. These experiences, referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can include destabilizing factors like poverty, domestic abuse, or maternal depression, and can profoundly affect the development of the brain and cause lifelong harm to children’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
The Science of ACEs
The CDC-Kaiser ACE Study, conducted between 1995-1997, was the first to examine the relationship between early childhood adversity and negative lifelong health effects. The research found that the long-term impact of ACEs determined future health risks, chronic disease, and premature death. Individuals who had experienced multiple ACEs also faced higher risks of depression, addiction, obesity, attempted suicide, mental health disorders, and other health concerns. It also revealed that ACEs were surprisingly common—almost two-thirds of respondents, part of the largely white, well-off sample, reported at least one ACE19.
For infants and toddlers who are exposed to persistent stress, these kinds of adverse childhood experiences can cause changes in brain structure, potentially harming their physical, emotional, and educational development far into the future.
Yet ACEs are not inevitable, nor do they have to determine the destiny of a child who experiences them. ACEs can be prevented, and when they do occur, concrete steps can be taken to help children heal. Healthy parent-child relationships, or other supportive relationships, can serve as a protective buffer, and help children foster resilience and thrive.
The Impact of ACEs
Across 50 States, 50% of children’s ACEs are acquired by the age of 3.20
If left untreated, children with a high ACE score face a 20-year decrease in life expectancy.21
Physical & Behavioral Health
Children who experience four or more ACEs are 7.4x as likely to suffer from alcoholism and 12.2x as likely to attempt suicide.22
Education
Children who experience two or more ACEs are nearly 3x more likely to repeat a grade.23
Criminal Justice
Juvenile offenders are 4x more likely to have experienced four or more ACEs than those in the CDC-Kaiser ACEs study.24
“Just because kids are growing up in what we consider adverse circumstances—it doesn’t mean that they can’t succeed. Parents and other caregivers who are supportive have a lot of power to be buffers, so building the skills and capabilities of all caregivers is a big deal—ensuring that they have the skills they need to provide a stable, responsive environment for children.”
– Tassy Warren, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
New Jersey ACEs Collaborative
The Burke Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation, and the Turrell Fund share deep roots in New Jersey and a commitment to building a brighter future for children. In partnership with the Department of Children and Families, the three foundations formed the New Jersey ACEs Collaborative in 2018, and launched a new coordinated effort to support programs that benefit vulnerable children and families.
The Collaborative will commit significant financial resources and technical assistance over the coming years to advance efforts that reduce early-life stress and promote positive life trajectories for all children in New Jersey.
The Burke Foundation, The Nicholson Foundation and Turrell Fund, in collaboration with FSG, has released the new July 2019 report:
Adverse Childhood Experiences: Opportunities to Prevent, Protect Against, and Heal from the Effects of ACEs in New Jersey.
The report details the challenges New Jersey faces in addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and calls for a coordinated statewide response to mitigate their lasting effects on children’s health and well-being.
We are committed to advancing the most promising prenatal-to-five programs and policies to create and expand systems of support for New Jersey children and families.