Benevolent Childhood Experiences Survey

The Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCE) Survey helps you reflect on the positive experiences in childhood that support wellbeing and resilience throughout life.

“BCEs” are experiences that make children feel safe, supported, and connected, even in the face of challenges. Research shows that these experiences can help buffer stress and promote healthy development—no matter what else happened in childhood.

This question survey asks about supportive relationships, feeling safe at home, and moments of joy or belonging. Select “Yes” if the experience happened at least once, and “No” if it did not.

At the end of the survey, you can email yourself your responses and access resources to explore resilience and connection further. You can also skip that step and simply view your BCE score.

From there, you can continue to the ACE Survey or the Adult Resilience Survey to see how your experiences—both positive and challenging—have shaped your capacity to cope, connect, and thrive.