Life Story Work training for Foster Carers 24/25

Target group

This course is targeted to Foster Carers who work for the London Borough of Sutton

Aims

This course explores the importance of life story work for children separated from their family of origin. It can help them to make some sense of their past and their present in order to move into the future with confidence. Life Story work involves gathering together facts about the child’s life in a creative way resulting in a reassuring record of who they are and where they come from. It is a key tool in promoting their sense of identity and self-worth.

Learning Objectives 

• By the end of the course participants will be able to:
• Review what we mean by life story work for carers and reflect on your practice.
• Explore effective methods and techniques used in life story work
• Identify the required skills for workers to be effective.
• Gain knowledge in local and national guidance and best Practices
• Know how to enable children and young people to participate in record keeping and keeping memorabilia.
• Explore opportunities to actively integrate all aspects of a child/young person into their life story, including race, gender, age, culture, disability and religion
• Considered the impact of child development, attachment and trauma when undertaking life story work
• Explore the child's internalisation of adult messages
• Enhance skills in communicating with children, including the use of a variety of tools, including genograms, stories, CD-ROMs and games
• Consider practical approaches to creating life story books through the Joy Rees Model and others
• Examine examples of life storybooks
• Support social workers to explain harrowing life stories to children and young people
• Understand the importance of carer records & reasons for recording information.
• Gain clarity about roles in recording and what should be recorded
• Consider legal & other issues in receiving, giving and storing information.