From the moment they're born, babies seek a loving parental attachment. When that connection is absent, it derails childhood development in ways that can last a lifetime. The annual health costs of illness related to child trauma for North America and Europe alone are 1.3 trillion dollars. Child trauma is much more widespread than previously thought and passes from one generation to the next. But that's not the end of the story—there is overwhelming evidence that this intergenerational transmission can be disrupted. So why isn't the eradication of childhood trauma a tier-one public priority, like defense or growth?
In Trauma Proof, Benjamin Perks argues that it must be, and that we can tackle it as a public health problem like COVID-19, by 1) making sure everyone is aware of the risk; 2) preventing transmission; and 3) opening pathways to healing. Perks shows we have the tools to make these three things happen, and the evidence to show they work. Psychology, neuroscience, and medicine have made huge leaps in the past twenty-five years. We now know what causes Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), how to reduce them, and how to address them. For the first time in history, we know child mistreatment is not inevitable. Trauma Proof is a rallying call to address child trauma as the public health crisis it is—because we can do better for kids, and we should.