Assembly highlights Adverse Childhood Experiences

Around half of Londoners are likely to have experienced at least one form of adverse experience in their childhood. These include potentially traumatic events such as violence, abuse and neglect.



The London Assembly has today agreed that the Mayor should recognise the correlation between such experiences and issues like adult incarceration, unemployment, substance addiction and/or homelessness.

Emma Best AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“There is growing evidence that a handful of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can determine someone’s life chances. By protecting children from trauma and stress today, we can set them on a path for a more fulfilling, happy and successful adult life.



“To tackle issues like unemployment, addiction and homelessness in London, the Mayor must inoculate children and families against ACEs in the same way we inoculate against physical disease. Working with the Wave Trust, City Hall should pilot a Pioneer Community Approach and launch an Adverse Childhood Experiences Hub to help reduce the number of children whose upbringing is causing long-lasting trauma.”

Krupesh Hirani AM, who proposed the amended motion, said:

“Over a third of all London’s children live below the poverty line and we know that this will have a far-reaching impact on their life chances.

“The Mayor has a key role to play in making London a safe and happy place for children to grow up in. We have recently seen City Hall invest millions into helping communities tackle violence in their neighbourhoods and reach out to young Londoners exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences.

“There is a long way still to go to ensure that no child in our capital is left behind and this must be an integral focus of London’s economic recovery plans”.

The full text of the amended motion is:

“This Assembly believes that all children, irrespective of their background, deserve the right to a happy and safe childhood and that it is incumbent upon the Mayor to ensure that the existing policies of his administration are designed to facilitate such an aim.

Therefore, this Assembly notes, with concern, the growing evidence based around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), recognises the correlation between such experiences and issues such as adult incarceration, unemployment, substance addiction and/or homelessness and suggests that a strong and dedicated focus, by the Mayor and his administration, upon addressing the former would go a significant way to preventing the latter.

This Assembly recognises the work being undertaken by the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit and welcomes the £6 million recently invested in in providing local communities with direct funding and support to deliver targeted interventions to tackle violence in their neighbourhoods and includes supporting young Londoners with Adverse Childhood Experiences. The Assembly further notes that this comes after a decade of Government austerity which has seen cuts of £35 million to London’s youth services.

In support of said focus, this Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

• Explore options to pilot a Pioneer Community approach and an Adverse Childhood Experiences HUB within London in addition to the work he is already undertaking in this area; and
• To personally meet with a representative of the WAVE Trust who are campaigning for a 70% reduction to the existing levels of children who undergo Multiple Adverse Childhood experiences by 2030.”