Looked After Children

Life Story Work with Looked After Children

January 2025•13 min read

What is Life Story Work?

Life story work helps looked after children understand and make sense of their history, why they are in care, and who the important people are in their lives. It's about helping children develop a coherent narrative that supports their identity and emotional wellbeing.

Life story work is not just about creating a book—it's an ongoing process of helping children understand their experiences.

Why Life Story Work Matters

For Children's Development

  • Supports identity formation
  • Helps process difficult experiences
  • Answers questions children have
  • Reduces confusion and self-blame
  • Provides a record they can return to

For Placement Stability

  • Children with unresolved questions may struggle to settle
  • Understanding history helps children move forward
  • Supports attachment in new relationships

Key principle: All children need to understand their story. How we tell it, when, and what we include must be guided by the child's age, understanding, and emotional readiness.

Key Components

The Life Story Book

A physical or digital book containing:

  • Photos (birth family, foster carers, social workers)
  • Important documents (birth certificate, hospital band)
  • Key information (birth details, family tree)
  • Explanations of why they came into care
  • Positive messages about them
  • Record of placements and important events

Life Story Work Sessions

Direct work to explore and explain:

  • Family history and relationships
  • Reasons for coming into care
  • Feelings about experiences
  • Identity and belonging

Later Life Letter

A letter for when the child is older:

  • More detailed explanations
  • Information they're not ready for now
  • Written with care and compassion
  • Usually for adoption but valuable for all

Record Life Story Sessions

SpeakCase helps you document direct work and life story conversations.

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Gathering Information

Sources of Information

  • Case records and assessments
  • Birth family members
  • Previous foster carers
  • Schools and health services
  • Photos from any source
  • Birth certificates, hospital records

What to Include

  • Birth details and early life
  • Family tree (include everyone significant)
  • Why they came into care (age-appropriate)
  • Placements and important people
  • Achievements and special memories
  • Cultural and identity information

Telling Difficult Stories

Principles

  • Truth, but age-appropriate
  • Never lie—they may find out later
  • Don't blame or demonise birth parents
  • Acknowledge difficulties without graphic detail
  • Make clear it wasn't the child's fault

Example Approaches

For neglect: "Your mum and dad found it really hard to look after you properly. They loved you but they couldn't give you what you needed to grow up healthy and safe."

For abuse: "Sometimes grown-ups do things that hurt children. What happened to you was wrong and it wasn't your fault."

What NOT to Include

  • Graphic details of abuse
  • Judgmental language about parents
  • Information that could be used to trace people (if risk)
  • Unverified information presented as fact

Age-Appropriate Approaches

Young Children (Under 5)

  • Simple explanations
  • Focus on photos and familiar people
  • Repeat information as they grow
  • Memory box with objects

Middle Childhood (5-11)

  • More detailed explanations
  • Address questions they raise
  • Creative techniques (drawing, timelines)
  • Regular life story sessions

Teenagers

  • Fuller information as appropriate
  • Support to process emotions
  • Help with identity questions
  • May want to see records

Practical Considerations

Timing

  • Not during crisis or transition
  • When child is settled enough
  • Ongoing, not a one-off task
  • Revisit as child grows

Who Should Do It

  • Someone with relationship with child
  • Often social worker or foster carer
  • Sometimes specialist worker
  • Therapeutic support if needed

Common Challenges

Missing Information

  • Be honest about gaps
  • Try to gather what's available
  • Acknowledge child's frustration

Child's Resistance

  • Don't force it
  • Go at their pace
  • Try different approaches
  • Return to it later

Conclusion

Life story work is one of the most important things we do for looked after children. It's not just about creating a book—it's about helping children make sense of their experiences and develop a positive sense of identity. Take time to do it well, with sensitivity and care.