Our Foster Carers have been doing further training this week, on how to complete Life Story Books with the children and young people they care for.
This course aims to explore how direct work with children and young people can help them to understand and make sense of their past, cope with current uncertainties, develop a clearer sense of identity and contribute to plans for their future.
The course content has been developed with reference to the latest research, legislation, standards and good practice and the delivery of knowledge and skills is designed to take account of a wide range of different learning styles.
Learning outcomes will include participants being able to:
• Understand the impact of children’s earlier experiences on their capacity to express their feelings and needs
• Understand the importance of life story work for looked after children, and its emotional impact on children and all those supporting and caring for them
• Apply a holistic approach to life story work being done with the child or young person rather than for or to them
• Describe and use a range of life story work tools with children and young people
• Demonstrate improved communication skills in order to engage in a positive and meaningful way with children and young people
Some of their comments on the course:
“It’s given us a broader view on how we can help our foster daughter learn about herself, and in time her birth family.”
“I came out of the session with lots of useful material, which will stop us stumbling blindly. I know have some very good ideas, and will put them into practice.”
“Reading the sample life stories has helped me immensely, I’m looking forward to making a start.”
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but found the course very interesting. I will now be able to do a life story book and know what to put in it.”
“It was great to gain an understanding for the carers as to what they can do to start the life story work. More children in foster care should have more awareness of their life to help them understand about their heritage.”
“Well presented content, delivered with a human approach. I really enjoyed this course, and it has given me lots of food for thought that I know I will use with both children and adults.”
“I feel ready to start the children’s life story work now, which I was apprehensive about before. I now know what content to put in, relevant to their age, and know we can develop and make this more detailed as they get older – it’ll be something for them to look back on.”
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