Together TV is glad to announce that on Sunday 14^th June at 8pm, we will air groundbreaking documentary Resilience; a UK premiere. It also repeats on Tuesday 16th at 9pm.

Whilst the global pandemic and racial protests have been shaking everyone's daily lives across the world, it is important to highlight how tough times like these become even tougher for children stuck in abusive environments. This documentary shows what is happening to children right now could translate into a long term risk of developing diseases, instablity in life and early death.

Whilst society often portrays childhood as a time of hapiness and innocence, the sad reality for many children is that this is simply not true. In general, we assume that children are resilient and tough; we expect that they won't clearly remember upsetting events from their earliest years in their later ones. However, will the mind may forget, this clever documentary highlights that the body still remembers. Resilience reveals how toxic stress in pre-teens can trigger hormones that can wreak havoc on their brains and bodies; thereby putting them at greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time and even early death.

The story of Resilience begins with two American doctors who realised that, despite their different fields of expertise, they had both discovered silimar findings in their research. Dr Felitti found that half of his obesity clinic patients who were gaining weight back had suffered abusive childhoods. Meanwhile, Dr Anda was finding that, for many, childhood traumas were a common factor in many deadly illnesses such as heart disease.

The pair then began to work together on research looking into Adverse Childhood Experiences.  Upon further investigation,  a dangerous biological syndrome that resides in children who experience abuse and/or neglect during childhood has been identified. Resilience documents this journey of scientific discovery as what was once considered controversial and unsupported research becomes increasingly significant and relevant work in our present day. 

 

 

Whilst the findings are shocking, Resilience also shares news of the start of a movement that is determined to fight back and bring hope for future generations. Pioneers within paediatrics, education and social welfare are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the insidious effects of toxic stress, along with changing the dark legacy of a childhood that no child would choose.

Resilience deals with dark and triggering subjects; the following charities are brilliant sources of support for children facing such issues today.  Please take a look at their sites below to find out more about how we can help stop and prevent childhood abuse and neglect here in the UK.

Barnardo's 

Action for Children   

NSPCC