A February, 2020 report by the Early Intervention Foundation in London provides an excellent view of Adverse childhood experiences: What we know, what we don't know, and what should happen next (https://www.eif.org.uk/files/i...ces-key-messages.jpg ). The report concludes that the enthusiasm for ACEs should be aimed at building “comprehensive public health approaches in local communities.” (p.5)

The focus on broad public health approaches reflects the fact that “ACEs do not occur in isolation. While ACEs occur across society, they are far more prevalent among those who are poor, isolated or living in deprived circumstances. These social inequalities not only increase the likelihood of ACEs, but also amplify their negative impact. This means that structural inequalities must be addressed for ACE-related policies, services and interventions to have any meaningful effect.” (p. 4)

The bottom line:

A good public health approach would (p.5):

• Focus on the conditions in which ACEs are more prevalent including poverty, community crime, racism.
• Strengthen national and local systems for diminishing childhood adversity and supporting the most vulnerable children and families.
• Invest in further research about childhood adversity that extends well beyond traditional ACEs and that would assess the efficacy of public health approaches to preventing adversity.