What if many of our social issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, eating disorders, mental illness, juvenile delinquency, unemployment, and crime, stem not from poverty, poor education or bad luck, but from unrecognised trauma on the brain? The brain, like any organ, needs to be strong and healthy in order to function properly. However, scientists have identified that in early childhood, the experience of abuse, neglect or trauma, can mean that the brain lacks strong neural pathways. This means our children are unable to access the part of their brain, essential for learning, decision making and controlling emotions. They’re labelled ‘slow’, ‘difficult’, ‘troubled’ and ‘delinquent’. This leads to quitting school early, turning to crime, drugs, or forming abusive relationships. They die younger, and their children are more likely to end up on the same life trajectory. This cycle costs society untold amounts, but there is a solution.