one is denied access to ones own history. (Fahlberg rg, 2008:353 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“It is difficult to grow up as a psych cholog

• logic

ically ally hea ealthy thy adul ult t if f

• ne is denied access to one’s own

history.”

(Fahlberg rg, 2008:353 53)

Who is is in in y your fam amily ily and what t stori ries es have they y told? Do you have a b baby pic icture re of yoursel rself? f? Do you look k or act lik ike anyon

• ne

e in in your family ily? How man any y houses ses have you liv ived in in?

Wh What is Li Life e Story ry wo work?

Life ife Story ry wo work provid ides es the space ce and time ime for child ildren/yo /young ung people le to explo lore re and un understan stand d their ir lif life ex experie eriences, ces, both positiv itive e and nega gative. ive. Life ife Story ry wo work is is a st struc uctured, tured, age ge-ap appro propria priate te progr gramm amme e in in wh whic ich c child ildren/you /young g people le can be empow

• wered

ered to fo formul mulate ate their ir past t and present ent int into a a cle lear r narrative. ative.

Childre ldren n we w we work wi with

• Exper

erienc ience e of sign signific ificant trauma uma

• Lack of stimu

imula lation tion in in early ly years rs

• Early

ly envir ironmen nments ts not co conduc uctive tive to le learning ning

• May have

e miss issed school

• l
• Foetal

tal Alc lcoho hol l Syndr drome

• me
• Prematur

mature e bir irth

• Not meeting

ting develo velopmental pmental mile ilestones nes

• Dia

iagn gnosis is of AD ADHD HD

• Attac

achment hment Diso isorder er

Coherent identity Relationship building

Benefits

Build self- esteem

Life Story worker Child/young person Carer/Key worker

Th The e Pr Proces cess

St Stage e 5

Feedback ck and Evalua uatio tion

Stage ge 4

Lif ife Story y Book

Stage ge 3

Direct ect Wor

• rk

Stage ge 2

Informatio

• rmation

n Gatheri hering

Stage ge 1

Referra ferral

Stage ge 1: 1: Ref efer erral ral

• Self

lf-referra referral

• Socia

ial l worker r will r ill refer er the child ild/young g person son to the servic vice. e.

• Socia

ial l worker r will ill then atten end d a r referr erral al meet etin ing with ith L Life ife Story ry worker r to dis iscuss the referr erral al and gather er in in-depth th inf informatio ation about ut the child ild an and their ir his istory. y.

Ref eferr erral al Criteria eria

Chi hild ld/young young perso son n 8-20 20 years rs of age ge and  Is Is in in lo long g term m foster ter ca care e or

• r

 Is in in lo long g term m residenti idential al ca care or

• r

 Was subje ject ct to a lo long g term m ca care e pla lan and ha has sin ince ce le left ca care or

• r

 Has be been adopte pted

There here can be situations tuations wher ere e engaging ging the e child/y ld/you

• ung

g person erson in Life e Stor

• ry work is not benefi

ficia ial or appr prop

• pri

riate te, , depending pending on the e child/young person’s individual circumstances at that time. The he child/y ld/you

• ung

g person erson can be re-refer ferred ed at a later er date. e.

Stage ge 2: 2: Inf nformation mation Ga Gather hering ing

• Soci

cial work fil ile read

• Me

Meetin ing g wit ith bir irth h parents ts and possibly extend nded ed famil ily members

• 2/3

/3 sessio ions ns

• at famil

ily home or appropriate priate ve venue in in co community ty

• Me

Meeting ing wit ith previ vious foste ter r ca carers

• 1 s

sessio ion n wit ith each ch fost ster r famil ily

• Me

Meeting ing wit ith the cu current nt ca carers/key y worker befor

• re starti

ting ng sessio ions ns wit ith h the ch chil ild

Stage ge 3: 3: Direct ect wo work

Dir irec ect t work k wit ith h the he ch child ild/young

• ung perso

son n will ill: -

• take

ke place e weekly kly or twic ice e a m month th in in an approp

• pri

riate te venue

• require the carer’s/key worker’s participation in the sessions
• in

involve e worki king throug ugh: h:

• ag

age-appro propria priate te in informa matio tion n ab about bir irth f fam amily ily

• vario

ious us lif ife experi riences ences (p (past t and presen sent) t)

• dif

ifferent rent placeme cement nt moves s

• current

rent liv ivin ing arrangements gements

• include interactive and creative activities to help ascertain the child’s views on

their ir lif ife experi erien ences ces and help the chil ild to process cess dif iffic icult ult in inform rmation tion

Stage ge 3: 3: Direct ect wo work

Life Story work rker Chi hild/y /you

• ung

ng pers rson

• n

Carer/K rer/Key work rker

“Carers need an opportunity to hear and understand the history of the child in their care.” (Rose, 2013:99)

• A writ

itte ten story y will ill be creat ated ed as an outcom

• me

e of Lif ife Story y sessio ions ns

• The writ

itte ten n story y will ill be in in a format mat whic ich h in inter eres ests ts the child ild/yo young ung perso son n e.g Lif ife Story y DVD, , Lif ife Story ry book or dig igit ital al Lif ife Story ry

• The child

ild/yo young ung pers rson

• n will

ill b be consulte lted d about t this is produc duct

Stage ge 4: Li Life e Story ry book

• k

(Ryan and Walker, 2012: 4)

“It [life story] does not have to result in a product- it it is is the he process ess rather her tha han ju just the he produc uct t wh which ich will will y yiel ield most benef efits its for the child ildren and youn ung g people involved; the product will be the ‘record’.”

Stage e 5: Fee eedback ck and Eva valu luat ation ion

To continu inue to de develop elop our ur proje ject ct we we seek k feedback dback from: : -

• Child

ild/youn young g perso son

• Key worker

er

• Carer

er

• Socia

ial l worker er