Research shows healthy families share five commonalities. These five protective factors can be supported and strengthened within vulnerable families to combat risk factors and prevent incidences of child abuse.

Research shows these Domains of Wellness actively build resilience and mitigate the impact of toxic stress in children and their caregivers. These skills and practices help to decrease our stress hormones and inflammation for healthier brains and bodies.

• Simply being a loving caregiver to your child may give them the resilience to bounce back. Safe and nurturing relationships can protect children’s brains and bodies from the harmful effects of stress and trauma.

• There are a few simple things you can do to help young bodies and brains get the right nutrition to operate at their best.

• Children who have experienced toxic stress may have an especially hard time getting enough sleep. Paying special attention to your child’s sleep can be an important step toward helping them cope with hardships from their past.

• Daily physical activity can help counteract some of the key impacts of toxic stress. For kids, regular workouts can reduce stress hormones, improve behavior and concentration in school and strengthen the immune system.

• Children exposed to toxic stress may have more difficulty with impulse control when faced with stressful situations. Mindfulness exercises can really help.

• Mental health support can play an essential role in protecting children and adults from the effects of toxic stress.

• Time in nature can help counteract some of the key impacts of toxic stress.

Although the presence of certain risk factors can increase the likelihood of child abuse, their existence does not automatically lead to abuse. Rather, recent research suggests that child abuse arises from the interaction of risk factors which compounds stress and parenting challenges within families.