News New research alliance aims to help prevent and minimise the long-term impact of childhood trauma
A new research alliance has launched in Liverpool City Region to help prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and better support people who have been impacted by them. It follows recent findings that in Merseyside, 49.9% of adults have experienced ACEs.(1)
The Liverpool City Region (LCR) ACEs Research Alliance has been set up by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC). M-RIC is a partnership of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Liverpool.
The launch was announced recently at a dedicated ACEs conference at LJMU by LCR ACEs Research Alliance co-lead and M-RIC Lead Investigator Professor Rhiannon Corcoran. She said:
Prof Rhiannon Corcoran
“ACEs are stressful and painful events that occur in childhood such as abuse, neglect or growing up in a household where there is violence, addiction, mental health problems and other issues. They are very common and can have a life-long impact on those of us who experience them. That’s why it’s really important that we improve our understanding of their effects and how best to protect ourselves from ACEs and their impacts. We also need to ensure that we co-ordinate our approach as local organisations who provide services and support. ACEs and their consequences are avoidable if we tackle the societal issues that provoke them.”
The alliance brings together experts in their fields from across the NHS, universities, police, local authorities and voluntary sector bodies. The aim is to conduct research to enable a better understanding of the impact of ACEs and examine how current services could improve support to prevent ACEs and enhance support for those who have been affected.
Fellow LCR ACEs Research Alliance co-lead Professor Zara Quigg is based at the Public Health Institute at LJMU. She added:
Prof Zara Quigg
“We are delighted to have 14 local organisations involved in the LCR ACEs Research Alliance. We have also worked to put the voice of people who have experienced ACEs at the heart of our plans through the involvement of M-RIC service user and carer representatives and public advisors. Our next steps are to work together to develop our research plans and priorities. We hope the outcomes and shared knowledge we gain from our research will help prevent ACEs and support more people to overcome childhood adversity and help them lead happier and healthier lives.”
Find out more about the ACEs alliance by visiting the dedicated LCR ACEs Research Alliance webpages at mric.uk/acesresearch.
- Quigg Z et al. (2025). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) across Merseyside. Nature, prevalence, and associations with health and wellbeing, health risk behaviours, violence, community safety and cohesion. Liverpool: Liverpool John Moores University/Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership