Brighter Worlds - Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Resource

West Kent Local Children’s Partnership Groups have developed a resource and training package, to raise awareness of the impact of domestic abuse and wider adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) amongst primary age children.

This resource aims to give children a better understanding of the wide range of home and environmental experiences that can affect emotional wellbeing and resilience, through the use of animation videos and teacher-led discussions.

The content of the animation and subsequent discussions will enable children who have experienced historical or current ACEs, to understand the concept of trusted adults and encourage them to access support through school or other relevant professionals.

The package, which has successfully been piloted in West Kent with over 400 children, consists of:

• Two animations (one aimed at years 1 to 3 and one at years 4 to 6) involving an ‘alien spacecraft’ looking into a child’s world through a range of different scenarios and then encouraging the children watching to review and analyse the presented scene.
  • KS1 Animation
  • KS2 Animation
• Teacher handbook providing information about Adverse Childhood Experiences, including Domestic Abuse, guidance on using the animations with children, how to manage disclosures and who to signpost onto for more specialist support.
  • Teacher handbook (PDF, 1.9 MB)
• Powerpoint training presentation with voiceover, fully briefing staff on how to facilitate discussion and utilise the animations. The resource is developed to enable schools to access the training at a time and in a manner which is convenient to them and does not require any additional external input.
  • Training video

We would like this free resource to benefit children across the county, to embed the concept of trusted adult and enable safe conversations to take place.

The full training package and animations can be accessed by completing the MS Form

Completing the MS Form will provide you with the password for the animations and training video.

We look forward to receiving your feedback. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email Amtul Uzma at Amtul.Uzma@kent.gov.uk.