Child Well-Being

Negative outcomes often receive a lot of attention. As a society, we are reactionary; we use punitive measures to course correct

If we can shift our lens from asking: “What's wrong with you?” to asking: “What happened to you?” in the context of ACEs, trauma, and child development, we can begin to better understand child well-being.

It's human nature to address and fix what we can see If we don't see warning signs as they arise in child, we won't be prepared to respond in research-informed ways

If, as a system, we are not equipped to identify the warning signs of trauma in children, how will we ever address them?

We need to be ready and equipped to respond, otherwise our lack of action simply sends the problem downstream, resulting in punitive responses or doctor-prescribed pharmaceuticals as a solution

What would happen if we used research to prevent trauma-related negative outcomes in Palm Beach County?

What does it take for a child to flourish or thrive? What positive behaviors, emotions, and skills (as well as employing resilience in the face of challenges) can be taught?

It's important to understand negative outcomes and to learn from them, but to solely focus on them presents a missed opportunity to view how to build systemic interventions when we already know these facts about ACEs:

They are very common

They occur in clusters

They are disproportionately prevalent among minorities

They have lasting effects

There are many other outcomes as a result of environment, genes, and experiences that can be managed or mitigated long before the onset of chronic disease, incarceration, or early death

When we frame our approach from the perspective of child well-being, we can see the associations between the many factors at play We can identify when interventions will be most successful and provide the foundation for mental wellness throughout the lifespan

The model to the right is defined by a large arrow that reflects the life course model of development, where child well-being is both a goal (outcome) and a process that unfolds over time