Childhood issues are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Children may go through a range of experiences that classify as psychological trauma, these might include neglect, abandonment, childhood sexual abuse and physical abuse, parent or sibling is treated violently or there is a parent with a mental illness.  These events have profound psychological, physiological and sociological impacts and can have negative, lasting effects on health and well-being.

Traumatic experiences during childhood are a root cause of many social, emotional, and cognitive impairments that lead to increased risk of unhealthy self-destructive behaviours, risk of violence or re-victimisation, chronic health conditions, low life potential and premature mortality. As the number of adverse experiences increases, the risk of problems from childhood through adulthood also rises