Therapeutic approach to Life Story Work

Children and Young People who have suffered life changing experiences will be affected by trauma.

Therapeutic Life Story Work is beneficial to Social Care Experienced and Adopted children and young people who have been removed from their birth parents due to abuse and/or neglect, as well as those who have experienced bereavement, homelessness, war and conflict and other traumatic events.

The primary focus of the work is to provide the child or young person with a sequential narrative.  This honest account of their life history  is tailored to the child or young persons individual emotional age and ability.  The issues, for example; parental domestic violence and abuse, substance addictions and criminality are explained and discussed to enable the child or young person to gain a greater understanding and acceptance.

Therapeutic Life Story Work is an holistic therapeutic intervention that includes work on the following areas of the child's life: Achieving and Learning, Attachment to their Primary Carer, Physical Health and Development, Emotional Intelligence, Social Interaction, Identity and their Ability to Concentrate and be Settled.

Creative Therapies

Power-Up Play with LEGO®  

and

LEGO® Build2Express 

*

ARTiculate - (communicating through art and craft)

are available as part of TLSW or stand-alone sessions for groups or individual children/young people.

*

Parent-Child Attachment Play for Parents 

Playful Parents 1-2-1 sessions

and

Playful Parents Group Workshops

*

SandStory Therapy

Life Story Book

The Life Story Book provides the child or young person with a narrative of their life. It begins in the present day, then moves back in time to include the details of their birth, it introduces their birth parents and siblings and family history. The reasons why the child was removed from their parents care are shared honestly and age appropriately.  The story includes foster families and special events and achievements in the child's life.  The story is bought back into the Present Day and celebrates the child or young persons interests and achievements. The book concludes by helping the child or young person to look forward to their hopes and dreams for their future.