Presentation Information

Marianne Vanderveen-Kolkena

Building Strong Children: The Power of Buffering Protection Through Responsive Parenting and Caring Communities

  • Speaker: Marianne Vanderveen-Kolkena , IBCLC, MSc
  • Presentation Type:
  • Duration: 60 Mins
  • Credits: 1 CERP, 1 ACM CPD, 1 ACNM CEU, 0.1 Midwifery CEU
Abstract:

There is a growing awareness about the impact of Adverse Childhood Events or ACEs and the toxic stress they can create during a child’s formative years. So far much of the research and conversation has focused on identifying ACEs and the negative life-long consequences they can have. How can we reframe the conversation to shift from focusing on reacting to negative outcomes, to creating the caring connections that promote healthy brain development and stress regulation? To feel healthy, people of all ages look for a meaningful existence with loving and caring relationships. In the Salutogenic Model of Health this is called the Sense of Coherence (SoC). When the SoC is under strain, this can cause pain and trauma that both parent and child express in behaviours that are difficult to handle for themselves and others. As innately and intensely social beings, humans actively try to connect to others to build positive, contextualised relationships that support health and wellbeing and create social resources. Therefore, secure childhoods and nurturing social environments are likely to increase lifelong resilience. Looking at health from a salutogenic perspective can help us understand that health and wellbeing cannot simply be depoliticised and decontextualized as an individual responsibility. ACEs are not always preventable, but we have the power to help both parents and professionals create the positive childhood experiences (PCEs) that buffer the negative ones and create resilience.

Pre-Recorded Presentation