Written Question · S5W-10333 · Session 5
What information it has regarding how many children are affected by adverse childhood experiences, and what support it provides to them to …
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many children are affected by adverse childhood experiences, and what support it provides to them to help build resilience and reduce trauma.
The answer
The term adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is often used to refer to a set of ten key types of adversity which were first explored in a US study in the 1990s and in subsequent ACE studies. This set of ACEs refer to experiences of: abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), neglect (emotional and physical), parental separation, and growing-up in a household where there are adults experiencing alcohol and drug use problems, mental health conditions, domestic abuse, or imprisonment. The Scottish Government’s Growing up in Scotland (GUS) collects information on some of these ACEs, including: parental separation, parents’ alcohol and drug use, mental disorder in the immediate family, domestic abuse, and parental imprisonment. GUS also collects information on additional types of childhood adversity for, example, bereavement of a close family member, bullying, and homelessness. There is variation in whether such experiences are described as ACEs, but evidence shows that these additional adversities similarly present risk factors for children’s health and wellbeing. GUS is a large-scale longitudinal research study tracking the lives of a representative sample of Scotland’s children and their families from birth, through to the teenage years and beyond. More information on the GUS survey and the findings are available at: www.growingupinscotland.org.uk.
The Scottish Government’s Children’s Social Work Statistics also collects information about children and young people who are looked after, on the child protection register and in secure care. This data collection includes information about the following adverse experiences: emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, parental alcohol and drug misuse, parental mental health problems, and domestic abuse. More information on Children’s Social Work Statistics is available at: www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildrenSocialWork.
Getting It right For Every Child is the national approach in Scotland to improving outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people by offering the right help at the right time, from the right people. As part of the Government’s commitment to Getting It Right For Every Child, a range of approaches are adopted to reduce the trauma of adverse experiences for children and to help build their resilience.
The Curriculum for Excellence plays an important role in promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people in their educational settings. Recognising that positive relationships within an ethos and culture of mutual respect are the building blocks to developing children and young people’s resilience and helping them to make the right choices and cope when they are faced with challenging situations. The Additional Support for Learning Act places a duty on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, ensuring that children and young people can access support if they need it (including for family circumstances or social and emotional factors). The Scottish Attainment Challenge prioritises improvements in the health and wellbeing of children alongside literacy and numeracy and the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act (Scotland) 2007 places duties on local education authorities including ensuring that that schools are health promoting, and support physical, social, mental and emotional wellbeing.
The Government is committed to ensuring that outcomes for children are enhanced and launched the Children and Young People’s Improvement Collaborative in November 2016. This set in place a continuous improvement culture to bring successful interventions to scale that will enhance the resilience of all children and young people in Scotland.
The Scottish Government is supporting trauma-informed practice across the public sector and commissioned NHS Education Scotland to lead the development of a comprehensive National Knowledge and Skills Framework for
The Scottish Government’s Children’s Social Work Statistics also collects information about children and young people who are looked after, on the child protection register and in secure care. This data collection includes information about the following adverse experiences: emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, parental alcohol and drug misuse, parental mental health problems, and domestic abuse. More information on Children’s Social Work Statistics is available at: www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildrenSocialWork.
Getting It right For Every Child is the national approach in Scotland to improving outcomes and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people by offering the right help at the right time, from the right people. As part of the Government’s commitment to Getting It Right For Every Child, a range of approaches are adopted to reduce the trauma of adverse experiences for children and to help build their resilience.
The Curriculum for Excellence plays an important role in promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people in their educational settings. Recognising that positive relationships within an ethos and culture of mutual respect are the building blocks to developing children and young people’s resilience and helping them to make the right choices and cope when they are faced with challenging situations. The Additional Support for Learning Act places a duty on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, ensuring that children and young people can access support if they need it (including for family circumstances or social and emotional factors). The Scottish Attainment Challenge prioritises improvements in the health and wellbeing of children alongside literacy and numeracy and the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act (Scotland) 2007 places duties on local education authorities including ensuring that that schools are health promoting, and support physical, social, mental and emotional wellbeing.
The Government is committed to ensuring that outcomes for children are enhanced and launched the Children and Young People’s Improvement Collaborative in November 2016. This set in place a continuous improvement culture to bring successful interventions to scale that will enhance the resilience of all children and young people in Scotland.
The Scottish Government is supporting trauma-informed practice across the public sector and commissioned NHS Education Scotland to lead the development of a comprehensive National Knowledge and Skills Framework for
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-10333 by reference.