Britain's Childhood Trauma Crisis—let's tackle it!

Aim

Please support our plan to protect the thousands of our children having to cope daily with traumatic experiences.

UPDATE 18th JAN 2019

We have less than two weeks to reach our crowdfunding goal. We're grateful for all the support so far – please help us reach our goal by 31st January. 

- - -

“Children starting school unable to speak or use toilet, Ofsted head warns”

- The Telegraph, 1st June 2018 

“The number of A&E admissions for children who have self-harmed doubled in Sunderland last year”

- ChronicleLive.co.uk, 27th November 2018

“Mum of schoolgirl who attempted suicide before her 10th birthday shares heartbreaking photos”

- The Mirror, 14th November 2018

- - -

Every year thousands of babies and young children are punched, kicked, beaten and severely neglected. This is childhood trauma and it can affect people in many ways throughout their lives. It’s at the root of countless addictions, crimes, mental illnesses and diseases. It is a public health crisis.

We have an action plan to tackle trauma and prevent abuse and neglect from ever happening. Preventing and tackling trauma, in turn, can prevent future violence, future mental illness, and future generations of trauma.

Our aim is to raise at least £6,000 by the end of January to support this plan. Will you back us – and tweet your donation to spread the word? A little from everyone becomes a lot. Thank you.

- - -

As we crowdfund, we'll tell the stories of mums, dads, and others taking a stand so that the psychological trauma they experienced as children becomes a thing of the past.

Rob's story - 'Babies born today must not have to go through what I went through'

'I grew up in a very toxic home life since as early as I can remember. I ran away from home at fourteen and became one of London's homeless. Only alcohol and drugs helped me to cope. 

'I ended up leaving the country as a teenager, running from my childhood. And by the time I'd spent six years abroad, I had escaped my life of begging and struggling. I found a new sense of purpose.

'Now I am passionately campaigning: babies born today must not have to go through what I went through. 

'This work, pushing government to back proper trauma training for professionals, and giving support to communities that are committed to leading the way, it's so important. We can make a huge difference next year!'

We are pushing for:

• trauma training for frontline services
• UK government support for groups committed to tackling trauma in their communities.

And we are supporting professionals and communities to become trauma-informed.

- - - 

More information....

The 10 commonly listed Adverse Childhood Experiences are:

Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, losing a parent, having a family member in prison, alcohol or drug abuse by parents, witnessing domestic violence, mental illness of parents.

These are traumatic experiences. On average, people who suffered 6 or more of them as children have a life expectancy 20 years lower than people who had none. People who suffer childhood trauma are more likely to be violent or the victim of violence as adults, to become homeless, or/and to become an addict.

WAVE's 70/30 campaign is for a 70% reduction in these childhood experiences by 2030. It is based on research and expert advice showing this is possible - if we act now.

The good news is that new science is proving that such harm need not amount to a life sentence. It can be hugely relieved by adopting trauma-informed care in communities. Please join us in helping make the whole of the UK trauma-informed.

- - -

In 2018, the WAVE team has:

• Delivered huge growth in our UK-wide community of grassroots ambassadors, who have been campaigning to prevent childhood adversity and trauma through community events, talks, film screenings, meetings and any other type of local action we can think of.
• Given evidence to the Minister for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention, as well as the Chief Executive of Public Health England regarding the impact of childhood trauma.
• Made representations together with MPs to the Children and Families Minister, and to the Health & Social Care Minister.
• Secured the Shadow Health Secretary's support our 70/30 goal of a 70% reduction in child maltreatment by 2030.
• Grown a network of over 250 MPs, MSPs and other decision-makers committed to our 70/30 goal

We can do this!

Thank you for taking the time to read this appeal.

This project successfully funded on 1st February 2019