ABSTRACT

Life story work is a term often used to describe an approach that helps looked after and adopted children to talk and learn about their life experiences with the help of a trusted adult. This book is an essential step-by-step guide for carers and professionals seeking to carry out life story work with a traumatised or vulnerable child in their care.

Underpinned by positive psychology and drawing on up-to-date research and real-life practice, the book offers a sound theoretical understanding of life story work as well as a practical and easy-to-use programme of sessions. Each session covers the equipment and information needed, a consideration of who is best placed to carry out the work, and answers to commonly raised questions. Also discussed are age-appropriate approaches and ideas for extending each session into other activities and methods to make it more feasible for life story work to be a shared activity between two or three adults who know the child well.

This book gives professionals and carers the confidence to carry out life story work in a way that is sensitive to the child’s needs and positive for their self-perception and relationships.

chapter |14 pages

Introduction

chapter |4 pages

A narrative approach to life story work

chapter |11 pages

How to use this book

chapter Session 1|7 pages

Establishing the ground rules and feelings cards

chapter Session 2|12 pages

The Tree of Life (Part A)

chapter Session 3|7 pages

The Tree of Life (Part B)

chapter Session 4|6 pages

A map of all the places you have lived

chapter Session 5|6 pages

Birth certificate

chapter Sessions 6 and 7|11 pages

Co-constructing the story so far

chapter Session 9|11 pages

Origami hearts

Celebrating people who have had a positive impact

chapter Session 10|7 pages

The Team of Life, part 1: values

chapter Session 12|10 pages

The Team of Life, part 3: tackling problems

chapter Session 13|12 pages

Therapeutic stories