How much sand will we need if we are to keep burying our heads in it when it comes to the effects of childhood trauma?

In 10 years’ time I wonder if the children growing up now, who are impacted by family, community and school violence and abuse, in years to come will be thinking about suing for not being protected from it? They may rightly demand to know why, at a time when so much was known about the harm exposure to this repetitive trauma, threat and abuse was doing to them as a child, they were not kept safe and afterwards they were often seen as 'the problem'. After all, cigarette companies have been sued by people for not being clear about the dangers smoking posed once it was known, so what is the difference?

Even a glance at the findings from the long established Adverse Childhood Studies research should make us all sit up and take stock and, more importantly, act! Why? Because we know the worst kind of abuse for a child is that which takes place within the relationships that matter most and in circumstances where children are powerless to escape or resist in any way. Think smacking, endless shouting and criticism, repeated threats of being harmed, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, harsh parenting and neglect, especially emotional neglect.

So, why do we ALL need to drag our heads out of the sand and shake it out of our ears and eyes? Because all the leading trauma experts, many of whom are neuroscientists too, can provide clear evidence which match the ACE study findings. These show that the more a child experiences stress and fear the more their development in all areas, and their mental and physical health, are impacted in the short and long term. This is NOT scaremongering but is a call to action.

 In our communities we need to be raising children in a way that works with nature and evolution so that their need to feel and be emotionally seen and connected is the foundation for all areas of their development. This starts with parenting, goes into early years settings and on in to school as a matter of urgency as no child, least of all a traumatizes child, deserves to find out in 10 years’ time that when it came to what they needed most to feel accepted, safe and valued, we DID KNOW BETTER we just DID NOT DO BETTER!!

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