In this episode of Kids at Risk Action, hosts Alex and Jordan explore the profound impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how childhood trauma can affect individuals throughout their lives, much like PTSD in veterans. They discuss how ACEs, including abuse, neglect, and domestic violence, alter brain function and lead to long-term issues such as mental health disorders, addiction, and early death. The hosts emphasize the systemic failures in child welfare, education, and healthcare, where children often receive reactive rather than proactive care. They call for trauma-informed care, early intervention, and policy changes to address these gaps and break the cycle of dysfunction. They urge listeners to advocate for better funding, support for at-risk children, and a shift toward a more compassionate, preventative approach to child welfare.
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All about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experience) Trauma, Testing, and Resilience
Audio Transcript below:
So we’re not talking about a broken system because the people in it don’t care. We’re talking about a system that isn’t structured to meet the level of need that exists. So how do we fix this? What are the solutions that can actually make a difference? First, we need trauma informed care across all systems, schools, juvenile justice, healthcare and child welfare. That means shifting from punishment focused responses to interventions that actually help children heal, and that starts with training teachers, law enforcement and healthcare professionals all need to understand how trauma affects behavior so they can respond with support, not just discipline. We also need to invest in early intervention programs, things like home visits for at risk families, mental health services in schools, and mentorship programs that provide stability and guidance. And most importantly, we need policy changes, more funding for child welfare programs, stronger protections for kids in foster care, and better mental health access for trauma survivors. And that’s where our listeners come in. If you care about this issue. Here’s what you can do, share this episode and start conversations in your community.
Contact your representatives and advocate for policies that support trauma informed care. You can find your state representatives at www.house.gov/representatives/find
Welcome back to Kids at risk action, where we shine a light on the issues too many prefer to keep in the dark.
I’m Alex
and I’m Jordan. Today we’re diving deep into a subject that is shaping the lives of millions adverse childhood experiences or ACEs, and how childhood trauma impacts individuals just as profoundly as war affects soldiers. It’s
a conversation that doesn’t happen enough. We often hear about PTSD and veterans, and rightfully so, but what about the children growing up in homes filled with violence, instability and neglect?
The reality is that chronic childhood trauma literally reshapes the brain, making it difficult for these kids to regulate emotions, perform in school and later navigate adult life. And yet, our systems, education, law enforcement, even child welfare, often react to their behavior rather than the root cause of it.
So in this episode, we’re taking a deeper look at the science behind childhood trauma, the real world impact on individuals and communities and the systemic gaps that leave too many children without the support they need. And of course, we’ll talk about what can be done to change it.
Let’s start with the basics. Aces. Adverse childhood experiences refer to traumatic events that happened before the age of 18. This can include physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse in the home, or even something like a parent’s incarceration.
The more of these experiences a child endures, the more likely they are to face long term negative consequences a landmark CDC and Kaiser Permanente study found that people with higher ACE scores are more likely to struggle with mental health disorders, addiction, chronic disease and even a shorter lifespan. And the reason for that comes down to neuroscience. The brain has specific regions responsible for processing stress and fear. When a child grows up in a high stress traumatic environment, their amygdala, which is responsible for detecting threats, becomes hyperactive. Their hippocampus, which processes memory and learning, shrinks
so when we see children in school who have difficulty focusing, who act out or seem to lack impulse control a lot of the time. This isn’t just a discipline issue, it’s a biological response to trauma, and that’s crucial to understand, because when a child’s brain is wired for survival, it’s constantly in a fight or flight state.
That means they’re not operating from their logical reasoning brain, they’re operating from a place of defense, because their body has learned that the world isn’t safe, right? And when that trauma isn’t addressed, it follows them into adulthood. It impacts their ability to build relationships, maintain employment, and even impacts their physical health. Let’s talk about what happens when these children don’t get the help they need. The statistics are staggering. Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz once said that 90% of youth in the juvenile system have a history with Child Protective Services, and that’s not an exaggeration.
Many of these kids grow up in environments where abuse and neglect are the norm. The Aces studies have proven that without intervention, many of these children end up leading dysfunctional lives, experiencing chronic illness and dying 20 years earlier than their peers. And
once troubled children are involved in government systems. It’s incredibly difficult to break out. Studies show that children who have been in foster care or the juvenile system are far more likely to experience incarceration as adults. It’s a cycle that’s completely preventable if we focus on early intervention and support rather than waiting until adverse childhood experiences occur.
This is where we need to get real about the gaps in our system. Child Protective Services, schools and even healthcare providers are often overwhelmed and under resourced. That’s a key point that professionals in these systems are doing the best they can with what they have, but the reality is that there just isn’t enough funding or policy support to meet the level of need. For example, many schools still rely on zero tolerance discipline policies, which often lead to expulsions or suspensions, but research shows that removing a child from school often worsens the problem rather than fixing it exactly.
And then there’s the lack of mental health resources. Many schools don’t have full time counselors or social workers. The ratio of school psychologists to students is one to 1200 in many districts, when experts recommend one to 500 and for children in the fall. Foster care system, the outcomes are even more concerning. Studies show that 80% of youth aging out of foster care struggle with serious mental health issues, yet most don’t have stable access to therapy or support.
your representatives. And continue to support organizations working with at risk children, such as our own kids at risk, action at Invisible children.org because this isn’t just a child welfare issue, it’s a public health issue. When we invest in children, we invest in safer, healthier communities for everyone, and change doesn’t happen in silence.
It happens when we demand better for the most vulnerable among us. That’s all for today’s episode of kids at risk, action until next time. Stay informed, stay engaged and stay compassionate.
