2. Understanding Behaviour

2e. Understanding adversity and trauma 

All children face challenges as they grow up, but some encounter adversities that can have a particularly significant and lasting impact on their wellbeing. It is estimated that around half of all adults in England experienced at least one form of adversity in childhood or adolescence⁶. 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are described as ‘highly stressful, and potentially traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and/or adolescence’9 (YoungMinds). These can take many different forms, such as maltreatment, prejudice, violence and coercion, as illustrated in the figure below.

Figure 1 Examples of adverse childhood experiences (YoungMinds, n.d.)

The concept of ACEs comes from a landmark study in the US that found strong links between adversity in childhood and health outcomes later in life. It showed that the more ACEs a child has, the higher their risk of mental health difficulties and long-term health problems⁷.

It is important to note that not all ACES will have a traumatic impact. ACEs can be a useful starting point for thinking about adversity and its impact, particularly in showing broad patterns across groups of children. But they only tell part of the story and do not necessarily reflect the full complexity of an individual child’s life. Two children might share the same number of ACEs yet be affected in very different ways, depending on their circumstances and the support around them.

For schools, this underlines the importance of understanding ACEs and recognising their impact on children’s learning and wellbeing. It is now statutory for all staff to be aware of ACEs under the Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025) guidance: ‘where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. It is key that staff are aware of how these children’s experiences, can impact on their mental health, behaviour, attendance and progress at school’⁸.

For leaders, the priority is helping staff understand how adversity shapes children’s experiences in the classroom. While schools cannot prevent adversity, they can reduce its impact by creating safe and consistent environments, strengthening partnerships with families and services and embedding trauma-informed practice across the whole school (see section on trauma-informed practice).

ACEs in context: what this means for Southwark

While ACEs are a useful framework for understanding how adversity can affect children and young people, it is important to consider them in the local context. In Southwark, most children and young people come from a Black, Asian or other ethnic minority background⁹. This diversity is a strength, offering opportunities for schools to celebrate a wide range of cultural identities and perspectives. It also highlights the importance of being alert to the potential impact of racism, discrimination and bias as additional adversities that may affect pupils’ wellbeing.

Alongside this, Southwark has one of the highest rates of child poverty in London, with around 40% of children living in poverty¹⁰. Poverty can increase the risk of experiencing adversity and can shape how difficulties present in school for example, through attendance, concentration or behaviour linked to unmet needs.

When thinking about Southwark schools embedding trauma-informed practice, it helps to take this systemic view. Staff may encounter pupils whose experiences of adversity are shaped not only by individual circumstances, but also by broader inequalities. Understanding this context can support leaders and staff to:

• recognise how adversity may present differently across cultural and social groups
• reflect on the role of systemic factors, such as racism and poverty, in shaping trauma
• strengthen inclusive, community-based responses that values pupils’ identities and reduce barriers to learning

Useful links:

• Early Intervention Foundation: Adverse childhood experiences Summary of research on the prevalence and impact of ACEs, and what this means for practice in schools and services.
• UK Trauma Council: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) Video explaining what ACEs are, how they are measured, and the pros and cons of routine screening.
• Anna Freud: Relational approaches training and consultancy Training and consultancy to help schools and services use relational approaches to support children and young people with complex emotional needs.

 ^{_{6. YoungMinds, Understanding trauma and adversity. Available at: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/professional/resources/understanding-trauma-and-adversity/
 7. Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, et al. (1998). The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med, 14(4), 245–258. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9635069
 8. Department for Education (2025). Keeping children safe in education: Statutory guidance for schools and colleges. Available at
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686b94eefe1a249e937cbd2d/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2025.pdf
 9. Southwark Council (2023). 0–19 Population Data for Youth Service Review. Available at: https://services.southwark.gov.uk/assets/attach/202908/0-19-Population-Data-for-Youth-Service-Review-12042023-003-.pdf
 10. The Children’s Society, The Good Childhood Report 2024. Available at: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/information/professionals/resources/good-childhood-report-202}}