Whole Child Health refers to the physical, mental and social and emotional well-being essential for students to achieve positive outcomes in their academic, professional and personal lives. Everyday life experiences can impact the abilities of all students. Research from the CDC Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study indicates that almost two-thirds of study participants reported at least one ACE, such as trauma, stress, hunger, environmental conditions, etc., and more than one in five reported three or more ACEs. These experiences can have lasting effects and present barriers to the well-being of the whole child. The Center for Safe Schools provides resources, information and best practices on how to accurately identify and support an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, and overall well-being for success in academics, life and career.
Key components of Whole Child Health include:
- School climate
- Social and emotional Learning
- Mental health
- Trauma-informed practices
- Bully prevention
- Restorative justice
- Substance abuse
- Family/Community factors