Information for parents

What is Therapeutic Life Story Work?

All children and young people who have suffered abuse and/or neglect and have been removed from their birth families will have suffered trauma.

Therapeutic Life Story Work enables the child or young person to record what they already know about their early life, provides them with the opportunity to recall memories and ask questions in a safe place and be given, sometimes very difficult information, in a supportive environment. The majority of the work is usually recorded on a roll of wallpaper. Activities like drawing a 'Time-Line', and eco-maps help the child to put the series of events into order. Constructing a 'Family Tree' helps them form a positive sense of identity.

The work also includes activities and interventions to help the child or young person to externalise their memories, thoughts, opinions and feelings. Arts and crafts, drawing, model making, using figures, dolls, puppets, sand work, Lego work etc...all help the child to understand their story and aid internalisation of their life story.

There will be some emotions and feelings work that will help those children who may have difficulty in this area to be able to name and then learn how to regulate their feelings and emotions. Work that helps the child develop a positive sense of self, self-worth and confidence are also included in the sessions.

The child or young person's parent or carer is encouraged to participate in the session to support the child and also to continue with the work between sessions.

The participation of the parent/carer is important in many ways; to give emotional support, to learn about the child's history, to continue the work during every day life, to strengthen attachment with the child, to form a mutually-trusting relationship, to model appropriate behaviour and to strengthen the child's sense of self, confidence and self-esteem.

There will be an initial, mid-way and final assessment with the parent and child, to ensure that the child is benefitting from the work and most of all that they are enjoying it!

Since the new GDPR regulations TLSW & LS books can only use information provided by the Adoption Social Worker or parents.

Note: The work completed on the wall paper and any other medium is intended to be a record of the child's life, rather like the Bayeux Tapestry.

If a Life Story Book is required please let me know in advance.

Existing life story books, scrapbooks, letters and mementos can be bought to the sessions.

What will happen in the sessions?

The session will begin with a short game or activity. For example, snap, pick-up-sticks, an emotions and feelings activity or intervention, a game or puzzle. This will be followed by the 'work'!

A typical list of topics may include: (The topics and the order of the topics are at my discretion)

Identity - celebrating the child's uniqueness and the qualities that make them special; their name, personality, physical description, interests and hobbies, friends, school, religion, ethnicity and culture...

Birth - learning about the details and story of their birth, where born, time, day, weight, looking at their birth certificate and any mementoes of their birth.

Birth Parents- Finding out about their birth mother and birth father. Where they came from, lived, schools, work, their interest and hobbies, physical description and personalities.

Birth Family-finding out about extended birth family members.

Birth Family Tree- Looking at their birth genogram and then drawing or constructing a family tree. The child is encouraged to be as creative as they wish to create a family tree that depicts how the child envisages their relationships with the people in their past life and in their present life.

What children need to be Happy, Healthy and Safe- enabling the child or young person to recognise the needs of children as they grow up and introducing to them what they were not provided with and the issues that can affect a parent from providing adequate care.

What happened? - The issues that lead to the child being removed from their birth family are discussed in an 'emotional age'/ability appropriate way. The depth and duration of this discussion is also dependent on the emotional strength of the child at the time and the topic may be covered in small 'chunks' and revisited throughout the life story process. This will allow the child or young person to have the opportunity to externalise their memories and feelings at their own pace, before they are able to internalise and accept what happened. The topics discussed may be ; Drug, Alcohol & substance abuse and addictions, Sexual abuse, Domestic violence and abuse, Physical abuse, Neglect, Mental Health issues, Learning Difficulties, Criminality, etc, depending upon the child's and their birth families history and experiences.

Foster Families- recording a time-line of placement moves and remembering who they lived with and where.

Schools and other significant milestones and achievements- will be included on the time-line

The Future - The child is encouraged to look to the future and develop dreams and ambitions.

End of session - Each session with conclude with a fun game or activity to enable the child to regulate their emotional state.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Some things to remember...

• Lucia Hassaine TOPAZ Creative Therapies

  Some things to remember:

  • Any problems or concerns should be drawn to my attention without delay, to ensure the child/yp and parent gain the maximum benefit from the work. The child/yp and parent are also encouraged to raise any problems or concerns with me at any time during the process, in person, before or after the session, or by telephone/virtual appointment.
  • It should be noted that TLSW can lead to a degree of emotional regression. This is part of the natural process and is usually short-lived. Any concerns may be bought to my attention.
  • The sessions will be arranged in advance and they are usually weekly, for 1 hour per session.
  • Sessions may finish before the 1 hour at my discretion.
  • It is expected that the work should be completed within 4 months, or 5 months at the latest, therefore, please note…..
  • 24 hours notice is required from the parents/carers to cancel a session, to avoid forfeit of the session (except in the case of unexpected sickness of the child/yp, or for any other unexpected reason, at my discretion)
  • In the case of sickness of the child/yp, please inform me as early in the morning of the arranged session as possible, to avoid the session being forfeited.
  • In the case of sickness, or absence of the parent/carer, please arrange a substitute if necessary, if the child is unable to attend the session alone, to avoid the session being forfeited.
  • Frequent cancellations either with or without 24 hours notice may result in the session/s being forfeited, at my discretion.
  • It is important for continuity purposes, that the same parent attends the TLSW session each week. It is expected that the second parent will avoid entering the work-space during the session.
  • It is important for the child/yp, that disruptions and distractions are minimized.
  • Please ensure all pets are removed from the work-space, before my arrival and during the session.
  • Please ensure that other family members and visitors are aware of the session, and are able to avoid entering the work-space during the session.
  • Please avoid taking or making telephone calls during the session.
  • No smoking please.
  • No snacks or drinks during the sessions please. Please ensure that the child/yp has had a snack/drink, and has used the toilet before the session, if necessary.
  • Any safeguarding or child protection concerns will be referred to the necessary authorities immediately and without discussion.
  • It is important that parents model appropriate behaviour. Insulting, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour (physical, verbal or written) will not be tolerated and may result in the session/ or sessions being terminated without notice.

  Thank you, and I truly hope that your child or young person will find Therapeutic Life Story Work a valuable and rewarding experience.

  Lucia Hassaine TOPAZ Creative Therapies