Life story work is one of the key therapeutic approaches to working with adopted or fostered children. While it sounds simple, there is much more to this work than producing photo albums or memory boxes for children. This accessible book is full of tried and tested activities and creative ideas for professionals, parents and carers who may have little time and few resources, but who need to carry out life story work that works for children. The authors describe the optimum conditions in which to carry out life story work and feature activities to accompany each of the necessary stages: creating a sense of safety, emotional literacy, building resilience, exploring identity, sharing information and looking to the future. This book will be a vital tool for social workers, foster carers, adopters, students and any frontline practitioners involved in working with traumatised children.

This innovative guide brings the benefits of life story work - traditionally undertaken with younger children - to young people and adolescents. It describes how to use computers, free software, smartphones and camcorders in a range of contemporary and exciting ways. With an intensely practical approach it outlines a series of fun and engaging projects on which the practitioner and young person can work together, including photo collages, making soundtracks, creating cartoons, and filming guided walks, all designed to help young people make sense of their history.

'Life Story Work is something we do all the time, be it reminiscing with friends or family about a particular event or period of our lives, or keeping memorabilia, photographs, and written records. Reflecting on and re-examining past events and experiences helps us to make meaning of them in the present.' As a certified play therapist and a qualified social worker, Karla and Suzanne have come together as independent Therapeutic Life Story Work practitioners to explore their experiences and the challenges they have faced to guide other practitioners entering this important area of practice. They share journeys they have taken alongside the many families they have supported; drawn from completing Professor Richard Rose's Diploma in Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW). The authors take the reader through the process of Therapeutic Life Story Work from beginning to end, linking theory with practice. They identify areas to consider in preparing to do this work and the referral process, give practical first steps in information gathering, and provide a wealth of activities and techniques that can be undertaken in sessions. Written during the time of a global pandemic, it includes working on-line and the many creative ways of supporting children and adults in making meaning and creating a more coherent narrative of their lives. They share the complexities of working with birth families, neurodiversity, measuring outcomes and the recent strong evidence base for this intervention, as well as a unique model of creating therapeutic stories in therapeutic life story work. They highlight the importance of self-care and supervision when working with trauma, consider what to do when things go wrong, and the importance of creating emotional safety within this work. The content is drawn from many hours of work, challenges faced within the work, and an idea that it could be beneficial to others undertaking or interested in Therapeutic Life Story Work. Therapeutic Life Story Work is an area of practice that Karla and Suzanne are passionate about. They decided to write this book in response to the questions they are frequently asked about setting up as independent practitioners and how they work in practice. Their aim is to continue to support children and young people in their journey to make sense of their lives, as well as supporting practitioners and developing Therapeutic Life Story Work worldwide. The Handbook of Therapeutic Life Story Work is essential reading for those working with children, young people and adults, including social workers, therapists, family support workers, residential care staff, teachers, adopters, foster carers, special guardians, connected carers, students, psychologists and any other professionals involved in working with traumatised children.

Life story work is an approach designed to enable traumatized children to explore, question and understand the past events of their lives. It aims to secure their future by strengthening attachment with their carers and providing the opportunity to develop a healthy sense of self and a feeling of wellbeing. This new edited volume documents innovative ways in which life story work has been developed. It draws on the work of nine life story centres based around the world and provides understanding and guidance for those working with children who have experienced trauma. The book illustrates current theory and practice and looks at how the approach is being used in a variety of settings including schools, intensive services, youth justice, and post-adoption support, highlighting its versatility. The importance of trauma-informed practice when working with vulnerable children is emphasised throughout, to help practitioners provide the best for the children in their care.

Reminiscence is a valuable tool for the professional carer as well as those who are looking after a family member or friend. It enhances and enriches the care relationship, and benefits both the person being cared for and the carer. This fully-updated fourth edition is full of practical information on planning and running successful reminiscence work. It will enable carers and health and social care practitioners to develop the attitude, knowledge, understanding, values and skills they need to use reminiscence with people of all ages, either individually or in groups, and in residential or community settings. Topics covered include reminiscence with individuals and couples, inter-generational reminiscence, reminiscence with individuals from minority ethnic groups and reminiscence with people with sensory and learning disabilities, dementia, depression and terminal illness. This book is the ideal starting point for any professional taking up reminiscence work, as well as for those who wish to deepen their knowledge and increase their ability to help those they care for in less formal ways.

Introducing life story work, a way for people with dementia to connect with their relatives, carers and the professionals working with them. This evidence-based book explains the many benefits of life story work, with practical guidance for introducing it in a variety of settings. The authors show how life story work can empower people with dementia to inform care practitioners and family members what care and support they may need now and in the future, by taking into account their past and their future wishes and aspirations. The book includes practical information on how to get started, ethical considerations such as consent and confidentiality, and considers issues of diversity and how to address them. The voices of practitioners, researchers and family carers sit alongside those of people living with dementia to present a wide-range of perspectives on life story work.

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.