Home Life, School Life, & Big Impact on Our Students

We are living during a very delicate time for schools and homes. Amid fear of violence, economic pressures, and ever-changing technological advancements, it is critical that we view this curated opposition from the lens of the students. We can all agree that there are children who have great upbringings with safe environments; however, we cannot deny that there are many children in this world who don’t have this privilege.

Children that experience many Adverse Childhood Experiences (or ACEs) like family substance use, poverty, an abusive household, incarcerated parents, etc. are more likely to develop major concerns that negatively impact their chance at a long, healthy adult life. ACEs are traumatic events that occur before a child reaches the age of 18. ACEs include all types of abuse and neglect, such as parental substance use, incarceration, and domestic violence. ACEs can also include situations that may cause trauma for a child, such as having a parent with a mental illness or being part of a family going through a divorce. [1]

“Students with absent parents, broken homes, experiencing homelessness, or other non-ideal situations in which parents (or lack-there-of) may not place value on academic success are often faced with another barrier in the form of inherited views or values to succeed in school.” [2]

So, how do our schools accurately and quickly identify those students who need additional support? With Building Dreams, schools are able to gain an understanding of their students’ home life through our Home Environment Assessment. The Home Environment Assessment checks in with students about potential ACEs, emotions, and stress levels within the home. This equips school staff, like school counselors and social workers, with the information they need to lift up the family and support the student’s academic and social-emotional success.

Want to learn more? Reach out to us: information@fightforlifefoundation.org