life story pre course read

8/9/2019 Life Story Pre Course Read

1/22

Life StoryWork

Pre-course reading

NB for day one of this course you need to bring atreasured object from childhood or another time in your

life, and any old rolls of wallpaper that you no longer

need

Polly Baynes

Tel:[email protected] updated Feb 2011

‘A life story book is an attempt to give back to the child in care his or her own

past life through the gathering and discussion of the facts and people in that

life and to help him or her to accept it and go forward into the future with

this knowledge’ Ryan and Walker 1985


2/22


3/22

3

Life Story WorkREASONS FOR WORK

• Child has many moves/changes of carer.

• Child is being removed from family/returning home/being

adopted/changing placement

• Child is beginning or ceasing contact with family members

• Traumatic/complex family history

AIMS

•

To help the child understand why their birth parents could notcare for them temporarily or permanently

• To give the child sense of personal/family/cultural history.

• To build a sense of racial/ethnic/national identity

• To help the child understand the reason for moves at both a

feeling and intellectual level.

• To hold memories for the child when previous carers are no

longer present.

• To remember good things the birth family provided.

•

To give the child the chance to ask questions/express feelings.

• To help the child to share their history with new carers.

• To help the child understand who the people in their life are.

• To reduce tugs of loyalty between birth and adopted families.

• To help the child feel accepted “warts and all”.

• To give the child access to information to which she/he has a

right, in a meaningful way.

• To help the child develop a “cover story”.

•

To show child s/he has a value as a person.


4/22

4

METHODS

• Making a life story book (with or for the child) that tells the

story of how they came to live with their current carers and

provides information about their birth family and reasons fordecisions as well as hopes and dreams for the future and a

celebration of their life with their current family

• Drawing, talking and playing

• Visiting previous houses and carers, schools, parks etc. with or

for the child

• Using photographs, birth certificates, family support worker

records etc

• Recording important events, people’s memories, the story of

the child’s birth, Christening or other religious ceremonies

• Working with parents, foster-carers, teachers, child-minders

etc. Asking them to write letters, record memories

• Creative use of video and computer resources

• Time-lines, road maps

• Memory boxes, family trees

• Recording the child’s unique identity and achievements,

making a record of life in placement, taking day-to-day photos,making dvds, recording the child’s favourite foods, toys, TV

programme, best friend etc.

•

Completing a baby book, a handprint and footprint cast, keeping

their baby teeth, a lock of hair, hospital wristband, newspaper

from the day they were born

•

Collecting ordinary mementoes like holiday postcards,

swimming certificates, current photos etc.


5/22

5

•

Keeping copies of educational and medical records, school

reports, paintings and drawings done by the child, school books

All this documentation, along with other objects of significance-

their first babygro, special duvet cover, favourite toys, presents theirparents have sent but have now outgrown, school uniform etc- can

form a “Treasure Basket” to travel with the child. Many adults who

grew up in care are completely without concrete evidence of their

own histories, not least because angry children often break or lose

everything they own. They need carers to keep these things special

until they can do it themselves

Photocopy everything in case the child tears it up on a bad day

Make a small separate album of photos without any story, so that

the child can show friends pictures of their birth family without

disclosing personal details

Letters for later life can provide a more adult version of events to

be opened by the child at a later stage

Get contributions from as many different familymembers/friends/professionals as you can, so the story is told by

many voices

Unless there are clear child protection reasons not to do so,

include full names and professional contact details for everyone

who has been involved in the work with the family.

Give full names, dates of birth and addresses of family membersonly when safe to do so – Facebook has made it easy for these

details to be used to make contact without the knowledge of

adopters

Keep talking about birth family members on a day to day basis


6/22

6

LIMITATIONS• Life story work is never “done”, it needs to be returned to and

updated as child matures.

• Very young children may need work done for them rather than

with them.

• If the time is not right, you may need to do the work for the

child so that the story is there when they are ready

• Some parents will not co-operate or have no photos, cannot

remember.

• Adopters/family members/foster carers are key in sharing the

work in future – if they cannot accept the child’s story, they

may struggle to do this

CONFIDENTIALITY

• It is the child’s book. They may choose to share it with

everyone or no one. Making a separate photo album allows

the child to show people their family without disclosing the

story.

• It may be appropriate to involve other significant adults,( for

example current carers, family support workers) in all or part

of the work. Life Story books can help with introductions to

adopters.

• Be clear from the start that you cannot keep secrets about

abuse

• Let the child know that you will talk to their carers regularly

about the impact of the work. Ask them to let you knowabout anything that might affect your sessions with the child.


7/22

7

YOU WILL NEED

TIMEUp to three hours per week for possibly a year or more for a

comprehensive piece of start to finish life story work for a child with a

complex history BUT “chunks’ of life story are useful too-it is a process,

not an event. Talking about why a child has been removed in the car on

the way to an emergency placement is an absolutely essential part of the

work. Coming back the next day with that explanation written down, as a

simple story, is important too.

Children should leave every placement with photos and memories. Life

story techniques can be incorporated throughout work with children:

every visit is an opportunity to help the child’s understanding.

The most important time to provide explanations and collect family

photos is BEFORE the child becomes looked after, as part of your

preparation

COMMITMENT

You and your agency need to give this work priority.

Planned life story work requires you to become a reliable, consistent

person in this child’s life. Cancelled or irregular appointments reinforcewhat the child has already learnt-adults cannot be trusted, and the child

has no value.

Whatever your role, you can ensure that you provide a child in transition

with a relevant explanation as events unfold and whenever possible back

this up in writing/drawing. This could mean sending a child a letter after

you remove them from home when you are on duty – even if you neversee them again

SPACE

Ideally, a quiet, child-friendly place (but not too distracting), where you

won’t be interrupted. However, talking to a child after a difficult contact

about the impact of their parent’s alcohol use is just as important.

MONEY

Costs include travel and photographs; a digital camera, or video cameraare very useful. But don’t allow lack of sophisticated equipment to put


8/22

8

you off – a pen and paper, your time and attention are the most useful

tools. Charities in Africa are doing life story work with children whose

parents are dying of AIDS on a budget of £1.50 per child

SUPERVISIONThis work is emotionally demanding therefore you must have support

ACCESS TO INFORMATIONIdeally for a complete life story book, you need to read the family file in

detail; it is essential to obtain a very detailed chronology of the relevant

events and people in the child’s life. If you are not the social worker, you

will need their full support.


9/22

9

Ground rules • Be reliable ~if you say you’ll bring jammy dodgers, bring

jammy dodgers.

•

Be flexible ~there is no “right” way to do life story work.

Adapt your techniques to the child’s developmental stage,

interests and abilities. Life story books can be written entirely

by, for or with children. Life story work can be done on the

computer, on video, through play or by composing music.

Follow the child. It doesn’t have to be neat ~this is not

schoolwork or an art class.

•

Be open to hear the unique experience of the child you areworking with. What the child found painful, joyful or

confusing may be very different to what you would suppose.

Feelings about contact may be particularly complex.

• Check out with the child what they think is the reason that they

were removed from home, and why they have made other

moves. Provide an honest explanation of the reasons that they

cannot live at home, however painful. Use words and ideas

that this child is familiar with, and check they haveunderstood. It is often helpful to use play, art and stories to

support this part of the work.

• Acknowledge areas where you cannot agree what happened,

or whose responsibility it was. Make clear your view that

adults are responsible for the care and safety of children, and

that this child deserved to be loved, cared for and safe. Don’t

forget that all children have two parents, who are bothresponsible for their care and safety.

• Celebrate the life of this child ~no life story book should

solely record, neglect, abuse and separation. Whatever birth

parents have done, seek out the good things they gave this

child – brown eyes, cuddles or lovely spaghetti bolognaise.

• Record the child’s achievements and talents, as well as their

hopes and dreams for the future.


10/22

10

• Be clear the book is a work in progress – give permission for

the child to add to it and decorate it

•

Life story work is never finished ~children need to return toand re-evaluate difficult events as they progress

developmentally and at important transitions.

• Make sure all the adults involved with the child have an

agreed script when talking to the child about forthcoming

moves/court hearings etc.

•

Give clear and consistent titles to everyone involved, ‘tummymummy’ /Mummy Lisa/keeping family/middle family etc.

• The child also needs help to develop simple answers to

questions about why they don’t live with their birth family~ a

cover story for school etc.

• Proceed at the child’s pace. If the child is not ready to do the

work, then respect this.

• Liase with the other adults who are involved with this child.

• Be honest –about confidentiality, your role, and for how long

you’ll come. Being reliable in making six appointments is

better than failing to attend for a year.

• Keep the boundaries ~time, space, materials and safety are

your responsibility.

• Get appropriate supervision, time support and funding from

your agency.

• Look after yourself ~we all have areas of work that are too

painful for us to do.

• If you are off sick or need to cancel a visit, try and

communicate directly with the child~ a postcard will do!


11/22

11

Life Story WorkInformation Gathering

You can get swamped - some useful tools:

CHRONOLOGY

1986 Dad left Tom 3

1987 Mum evicted Tom 4

1987 Danny born Tom 4 1/2

This helps to understand the possible impact of events on the child at that

age.

MOVE MAPS

Changed school Mum died Anne moved Accommodated

92 May 92 June 92 Aug 92 Sept.

This helps to see how much change they have had to deal with.

Eco maps and genograms are also useful.


12/22

12

An Integrated Model of Life Story Work

Children at risk of

becoming looked

after

Take lots of photos

Support family celebrations

Ensure your recordings give detailed description of children

Use framework assessment to gather family history and ask

questions like ‘how did you choose her name?’ ‘Tell me about

the day he was born’ This will tell you a lot about the parent

child relationship as well as being useful if you need to make

a life story book later

Children who are

about to become

looked after

Work with birth parents and foster carers to give child a

consistent explanation for why they are moving

Use calendars to help child understand introductionsEncourage parents to allow child to take photos/toys/bedding

Provide child with photos and other information about foster

carers

After placement Continue to seek out photos/toys/familiar objects

Encourage foster carers to talk about home

Use contact as a chance to take photos and reinforce

explanations about why they are not living at home

Involve schools/nurseries in developing a shared script for

children

Start a life story book with an immediate explanation

Use statutory visits to answer questions, continue to reinforce

explanations.

Use recording to capture the child each time you visit, and

record visits to parents in detail. Keep asking parents for

memories about the child, their birth, their infancy and their

own family history as part of your assessment.

Keep all the clothes the child arrived in, take lots of photos,

keep school reports etc

Identify who the important people are for this child – family,

neighbours, and professionals.

As long term plans

develop

Check how life story work is progressing at every review. Is

every body clear who is doing what? Include work with the

child, gathering memories and creating a written story.

Begin to gather information from files, birth family, previous

carers

Continue to work with the child to help them understand what

has happened and also how future plans will be agreed –

explain about the court or other assessments.

Ask each significant adult to record memories and

observations about this child.Go back to birth family if they have refused to help in the


13/22

13

past, try grandparents, neighbours, older siblings. Consider a

different worker approaching the birth family.

Use statutory visits to reinforce explanations, give children

information about what is happening.

You may need to start planned work at this point, perhaps

introducing a specific worker.Ensure the foster carer is fully involved in providing

explanations for the child, and in gathering up memories.

Use calendars to support a child with moves. Play and replay

transitions.

Ask adopters to provide photos and information for

introductions. Help the child to draw up a list of questions

they want to ask the new family. Remember that some

adoptive families have one parent or same-sex parents.

Emphasise adoption is a process, not an instant result. Don’t

make promises you can’t keep (‘you will really like your new

family’), acknowledge the child’s ambivalence and anxiety.

When child moves

into permanency

Ensure long-term carers have all the information they need to

keep on telling the child their story. This includes parents

whose children return to their care.

Finish life story book to date, and include details of adopters

Emphasise the child’s future with this family – next

Christmas, when they go to secondary school, when they get

married etc

Ensure adopters are happy with and understand the purpose of

the book.

Prepare letters for later life.

Write permanence report bearing in mind that the child may

read it one day.

Use child appreciation days to gather information.

Ask everyone that has worked with the child to write farewell

letters, recording memories.

Take lots of photos of good-bye contacts, farewell parties.

Ensure the file clearly indicates where copies of the life story

book/photos etc are held.

Support birth parents to write farewell letters, choose special

gifts, and write letters for the child when they are older.Use reviews to ensure that adopters have information and

work has been completed as far as possible.

For children who are not ready to engage with the work ensure

that all available information has been collected and a story

written ready for when they do want to do the work.

Make sure children have photos of previous carers as well as

birth families, and take as many familiar possessions with

them as possible

Social workers need to plan goodbyes, and write down their

personal memories of working with that child. Contact

supervisors, family support workers, teachers and therapistsneed to do the same. Don’t forget farewells to school friends


14/22

14

and neighbours.

Long-term Ensure adopters can access support and advice to carry on life

story work.

Provide further direct work with children via post adoption

support.Continue to update children on their birth families if

appropriate (eg new siblings born) and share available

information with social workers holding siblings’ cases.

Support young people seeking access to their files.

Use contact in a planned way for children who are seeking

specific answers.

Support birth parents with letter box contact, and provide safe

storage for copies of life story work, photos and letters.


15/22


16/22

16

Google images). Include information about how people tried to help the

birth parents ‘Sandy, the family support worker, came round in the

mornings to try and help Zara, but Zara would not answer the door. Sid

shouted GO AWAY’.

If a significant event triggered removal, tell the story in a specific sectionwith a clear title eg ‘The day Sam got hurt’.

‘The day your brother Sam was hurt started off like an ordinary day.

Zara went to the shops and Sid was getting the breakfast. Sam was crying

and crying. Sid got angry and shouted at Sam and threw him on the bed.

This must have been scary for you. You tried to kiss Sam better when you

saw his poorly face. Then the ambulance came.’

Specific issues some explanations about particular issues that have

affected the child’s life – such as drugs/alcohol/prison/mental illness

My foster family: memories and photos of time with foster familyWhat the judge decided: brief explanation of the reasons for the final

decision. Use illustrations to show the court process and make it clear that

the judge listened to what everyone had to say, including birth parents. If

there was a fact finding hearing, explain that the judge had to try and

decide who was telling the truth. ‘Sid said he never meant to hurt Sam.

The doctor told the judge that Sam had lots of bruises when he came to

hospital and it looked like a grown up had hurt him badly more than

once. The judge decided that Sid had hurt Sam lots of times’.

Make sure you include positive messages from birth parents ‘ Zara wasvery sad, but she told the judge that she wanted you to have a new family

so that you could have a good life’.

Moving to my family: tell the story of the move into permanent

placement or back home, acknowledge that the child was scared and sad

as well as excited and emphasise that they are practising and learning

how to be a family. Include good wishes from previous carers. Don’t

promise that everything will be fine. This section could include any

introductory materials prepared by the adopters.

The future: include details of holidays and celebrations planned, leave

pages blank for new photos, include the child and the family’s wishes anddreams for their future together

Brief details of who made the book and wishes for the child’s future,

details of how to contact you

Back section: to be added when the child is older and include letters for

later life from professionals and family members, more detailed

information about decisions that were made and birth family, contact

details for professionals who are willing to be approached, information

about services available to adopted children/specific sources of advice

about key issues (mental health or addiction for example).


17/22


18/22

18

Unpublished research by Rachel Willis, 2008

MA Student at Cardiff University

There is a scarcity of research into the effectiveness of life story work. This qualitative study of a small number of looked after young people aged over 11, found

that a wide variety of approaches had been used. This ranged from the completion of

pre-printed workbooks to unstructured use of personal journals. Some of the workwas completed alongside practitioners, other young people did much of the life story

work themselves between sessions.

Young people reported mixed emotions about their past experiences and about

completing the work. The life storybooks seemed to act as a trigger to feelings and

memories. Young people particularly valued the inclusion of other people’s memories

about them (what they were like as a baby for example). Memories seemed to be at

the heart of life story work.

The issue of ‘audience’ (who would see the book) was important to the young people.

For some it was an entirely private document, others had produced the work with apractitioner and anticipated sharing it with others, including their own children one

day.

Young people in this study identified identity as an important theme within life story

work. Appearance and the way it changed over time was part of this, as young people

used the books to trace their own physical and emotional development. Belongings

were important to the young people and also the possession of memories. Young

people used the work to explore their relationships and how they fitted in to their

family and home. Issues about why young people had become looked after were

touched upon, but the researcher felt this may have been too sensitive a subject for

discussion in this context. The research also explored themes of transition and place.

Themes of ‘old’ and ‘new’ were a common for the young people, who explored what

this meant in their lives. ‘Old’ things were often seen as having to be left behind.

The researcher highlights the need for further research in this area.

Life Story WorkBOOKS AND ARTICLES FOR

PRACTITIONERSLife Story Work Ryan and Walker, BAAF

The Child’s Own Story, Life story

work with traumatised children

Richard Rose , Terry Philpott

The New Life Work Model Edith A Nicholls, RHP

Life Storybooks for Adopted Children Rees

Life Story Books for People with

Learning Disabilities

Helen Hewitt, BILD

Life Story Work: reflections on the

experience by looked after young

people

Willis, R and Holland, S in ‘Adoption

and Fostering, 2009, volume 33,

number 4


19/22

19

Life Story Work – a biographical

account or identity therapy?

James in ‘Seen and Heard’ June 2007,

vol 17, issue2

Adoption, Resilience and the

Importance of Stories: the making of a

film about teenage adoptees

Fitzharding in ‘Adoption and

Fostering’ Spring 2008, vol 32

Untold Stories: a discussion of life

story work

Baynes in ‘Adoption and Fostering’

Summer 2008, vol 32

Helping Children Cope with

Separation and Loss

Jewett, BAAF

The Child’s Journey throughPlacement

Fahlberg, BAAF

Direct Work: social work with

children and young people in care

Luckock and Lefevre, BAAF

Face to Face with Children Winnicot, in Working with Children,

BAAFDeveloping Reflective Practice Ed Helen Martyn

Windows to Our Children Oaklander, Real People Press

Preparing Children for Permanence Romaine, Turley and Tuckey

BAAF

The Experience of Adoption (2); Theassociation between communicative

openness and self-esteem in adoption

Becket, C, Castle, J, Croothues, C,Hawkins, A, Sonuga-Barke, E,

Colvert, E, Krenppner, J, Stevens, S

and Rutter, M in ‘Adoption and

Fostering’, 2008, Volume 32 number

1NOVELS

Skating to Antarctica Jenny Diski

The Memory Box Margaret Forster

So Many Ways to Begin Jon McGregor

RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN

Bruce’s Story, now also a CD ROM MacLiver and Thom, BAAF

Talking Pictures/Moving Pictures BAAF

The Anti-Colouring Book ELC

The Drawing Out FeelingsSeries(divorce, illness, death, trauma,

addiction, re-marriage)

HeegaardAvailable from Smallwood Publishing

Talking About Domestic

Abuse/Talking to my Mum

Humphreys, Thiara, Skamballis and

Mullender

Jessica Kingsley

My Life and Me BAAF

All About Mummies and Daddies (a

simple book about different kinds of

family)

Available direct from Fosterplus

Life Story Work: what it is and what it BAAF


20/22

20

means

Also available, leaflets explaining

fostering, adoption, special

guardianship, kinship care, contactand what happens in court

My Life Story CD-ROM Betts and Ahmad, BAAF

STORIES

Six Diner Sid (having several

families)

Igna Moore

Tracy Beaker (waiting for afamily)/The Illustrated Mum (mental

illness)/Dustbin

Baby(abandonment)/Bed and

Breakfast Star(moving)/Diamond

Girls (emotional abuse)/Lola Rose(domestic violence)/Vicky Angel

(death) and practically anything elseby this author

Jacqueline Wilson

Mint’s Story (adoption breakdown) From Working with Children after

Disruption, BAAF

Owl Babies (missing your mum) Waddell and Benson

Peepo/The Baby Book Janet and Alan Ahlberg

Not Now Bernard (getting angry) David McKee

The Tiger Who Came to Tea (being so

needy you use everything up)

Judith Kerr

Where the Wild Things Are (rage, and

mastering it)

Maurice Sendak

The Wise Mouse (mental illness) Virginia Ironside

Jade’s Story (parental depression, for

older children)

Helena Pielichaty

Tell Me No Lies (loss of parents,

terrible secrets for older children)

Malorie Blackman

Matilda/The Witches Roald Dahl – writes stories ofwonderfully horrible adults

Nothing (recovering from lack ofcare)

Mick Inkpen

Goodbye Mog (death) Judith Kerr

Spark Learns to Fly (domestic

violence)

The Nutmeg Series (adoption,

letterbox contact, new sibling,

therapy)

Foxon, BAAF

For Every Child: the rights of the

child in words and pictures

Red Fox and Unicef

Badger’s Parting Gifts (bereavement) Varley


21/22


22/22

life story pre course read

Documents