Many community-based health or social care services, including home visitation programs for pregnant individuals and families with children, require an early assessment of a client’s strengths and risks, including their experiences of traumatic events in childhood, or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are associated with challenges in learning, health risk behaviours, and negative long-term health effects. This session will discuss the construction of a life history timeline as a trauma-and violence-informed approach to assessment that provides an emotionally safe context for providers to learn about, and clients to share, information about adverse and positive childhood experiences. Discussion of the life history timeline also helps to foster rapport and trust between the provider and client, as well as to create an opportunity to reflect on how past experiences can inform the client’s own personal vision and goals for parenting.