Adverse Childhood Experiences Approach within Sefton Locality Model. Positive practice and effective way forward

Sefton: ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) recovery toolkit pilot. Background: Sefton Council is committed to Integrated Early Intervention and Prevention services across Early Help moving into localities as part of the 0-19 offer. As part of workforce development strategy 4 practitioners have been trained in the ACE’s recovery tool kit to move forward with the initial pilot for Sefton. Sefton Council in partnership with Knowlsey and Liverpool have adopted the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) toolkit developed and robustly tested, which provides an evidenced based assessment of the impact of childhood trauma. These can include emotional abuse, sexual abuse , physical abuse and emotional neglect. The recovery toolkit developed by Rockpool will be piloted and evaluated through John Moores University Public Health Institute. 4 practitioners across Early Help IYSS Sefton have been trained to deliver the pilot programme.

Sefton: ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) recovery toolkit pilot. Method of delivery: The ACE recovery toolkit will be used to identify adults with high ACE scores who have experienced multiple adverse experiences, which may lead to not only poor health and social outcomes but are also at higher risks of exposing their own children to adverse experiences. The recovery toolkit has been developed to educate parents on the impact of ACE’s on them as individuals and that of their children. The programme is recommended for parents to participate in single gender groups. 10 parents will be identified across IYSS to participate in the 10 week pilot programme. The toolkit pilot programme will be faciliated across Sefton, Knowlsey and Liverpool in April 2018.

Is this Early Help ???? Could we have intervened earlier Case Study: Referral through Gateway that indicates and highlights parent with high Ace score Case study: The Morris Family have been referred to TYP for Early Help Support. Kerry Morris is 34 and has 2 children Hannah who is 14 and Ben who is 11. Hannah was living with DV and experienced both physical and emotional abuse during her marriage. She has since split up with the child's father John and the children see their father sporadically. Kerry has disclosed to a family centre worker that she is struggling to cope with her children's behaviour and as a consequence is drinking alcohol as a means of coping. She is in receipt of benefits but has a number of debts which includes money she has loaned from associates/friends in the community and is at risk of eviction. Both children have low attendance in school and Ben is associating with gangs in the community. Hannah is displaying self harming behaviour and is not known to Mental Health Service’s. Both children have a good relationship with their mum, however boundaries in the home are inconsistent. ACE Score: 8 out of 10 TF Outcomes identified as result of EHA: Family involved in criminal or anti social behaviour, family were children do not attend school regularly, family were children need help, family with adults out of work or at risk of worklessness, family affected by DV and family with range of health problems. Learning from ACE’s training and adopting a trauma informed approach: The family was offered the EHA utilising a strength based approach, however asking the questions around ACE’s linked to the EHA can often re traumatise a parent and we as practitioners need to be mindful of this. A more effective approach would be to explore the impact of the ACE’s such as “I understand that there was historical DV as you have highlighted to family worker” and explore strategies to develop resilience through non stigmatising/strength based multi agency approach. Question: Why are we completing the EHA? Opportunities to develop/change practice. As practitioners completing assessments we need to be mindful that the assessment belongs to the family and as a partnership the aims are to develop resilience and an action plan with the family utilising a strength based multi agency approach. Who and why are we asking the questions ??? Is this Early Help ???? Could we have intervened earlier

Sefton Council ACE Recovery Tool Kit Facilitators . Leeann Doolin: leeann.doolin@sefton.gov.uk Alison Lovelady: alison.lovelady@sefton.gov.uk Sharon McCarten: sharon.mccarten@sefton.gov.uk Steve Maguire: steve.maguire@sefton.gov.uk