Written Statement: Welsh Government’s plan for preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences

On 17 March 2021, I set out how I would take forward the findings of the review of our adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) policy. This included setting up an expert task and finish group to provide proposals about how to further develop our ACEs policy.

I also asked the group for advice and ideas about how an extra £500,000 to help tackle ACEs could best be used. I want to thank the group for its work.

One of the group’s key proposals was the development of an ACEs plan, which is now underway. This will set out the actions we will take to tackle ACEs and other forms of childhood adversity, including those relating to racism, discrimination and poverty. It will also provide clarity and direction for organisations on their role in tackling ACEs and the actions they take.

I intend to publish the plan this summer, alongside a new trauma-informed practice framework, which is being developed by Traumatic Stress Wales and the ACE Support Hub. They will consult on a draft framework in the spring.

The framework will be an important part of the ACEs plan and will help improve services’ understanding of childhood adversity and trauma and their response.

In relation to the additional £500,000, I am pleased to announce:

• £60,000 to Barnardo’s Cymru to support the development of training and resources for community-based self-help and peer support groups, to help them adopt trauma informed practices;

• £60,000 to Welsh Women’s Aid to improve support for children and young people to reduce the long-term impact of exposure to domestic abuse;

• £180,000 to support collaborative activity, which helps to deliver our strategic priorities around justice and equalities for people who have experienced and been impacted by childhood adversity and trauma;

• £200,000 to a grant scheme for community-based organisations, for projects to tackle childhood adversity and trauma, to mitigate their impact and build resilience. The funding is being administered by the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the ACE Support Hub. Grants totalling £183,000 have already been awarded to 15 organisations across Wales, ranging from £5,487 to St Mark's Church in Wales VA Primary School, in Haverfordwest, to support enrichment activities for pupils encountering childhood adversity, to £30,000 to the African Community, Swansea, for a collaborative project to support families who have experienced trauma.  

I am pleased we have been able to fund so many valuable community-based projects, helping to tackle childhood adversity and trauma and mitigating their impact. We will evaluate their impact and use any learning to inform the development of the ACEs plan.

I will look to report back to Members ahead of the publication of the ACEs plan and the trauma practice framework.