Are ye feeling ACE today?

As part of a quick fire opening discussion, invite group members to create a list (on flip-chart or paper) to identify what types of adversity children might face.

The main ones are:

• domestic violence
• parental abandonment through separation or divorce
• a parent with a mental health condition
• being the victim of abuse (physical, sexual and/or emotional)
• being the victim of neglect (physical and emotional)
• a member of the household being in prison
• growing up in a household in which there are adults experiencing alcohol and drug use problems

However, anything that has a major impact on child's safety and well being can have a lasting effect. Invite the group to think about what sort of effects it might have and how long they last.

Summarise by explaining that sometimes if you're not feeling ACE today, it can link back to things that happened to us in early childhood that we may or may not be fully aware of. The good news is that as teenagers we can build up our ways of coping and change the way our brains respond.