Safe, stable, nurturing environments for children

Abstract Safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments are integral to the healthy development of children, and the well-being of families and communities. Failure to provide these essential conditions contributes to increased risk of experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can have broad negative consequences on health and wellbeing across the life course and future generations. Further, ACEs, such as child abuse and neglect, typically precede other violence and victimization types and represent a significant risk factor for exposure to youth violence, sexual violence, partner violence, and self-inflicted violence, which can all increase the cumulative risk of ill-health outcomes. As such, this chapter highlights the impact that positive relationships and environments have on the prevention of ACEs. An overview of two separate compilations of evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing ACEs, namely, child maltreatment, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Child Abuse and Neglect Technical Package and the World Health Organization’s INSPIRE technical package is provided.