Abstract

Through words, pictures, photographs, certificates and other 'little treasures', a Life Story Book provides a detailed account of the child's early history and a chronology of their life.

This clear and concise book shows a new family-friendly way to compile a Life Story Book that promotes a sense of permanency for the child, and encourages attachments within the adoptive family. Joy Rees' improved model works chronologically backwards rather than forwards, aiming to reinforce the child's sense of belonging and security within the adoptive family before addressing the child's past and early trauma. The book contains simple explanations of complex concepts, practical examples and helpful suggestions.

Perfect for busy social workers in local authority children and adoption teams, approved adoption agencies and adoptive parents, Life Story Books for Adopted Children is a refreshing, innovative and common-sense guide.

I read it with great enjoyment. I very much appreciate the way you use the insights from attachment theory to inform your work, and agree with you that it is essential to reinforce positive messages about the child's current life and to involve the adopters in the process.
Jeanne Kaniuk, Head of Adoption & Permanent Families Service
Absolutely brilliant, so much put into so few words, but which say so much. Thank you!
Karen Palmer, Adoption Social Worker with Norfolk Children's Services
Joy Rees is an adoption support worker in a local authority adoption and permanence team in the London borough of Merton, and a Family Futures Associate. She has 30 years' experience as a social worker specialising in children and family work.
[My manager] gave all adoption team staff a copy... I read it that evening and have promoted it to a few families already. The level of clarity is just what the service needed and I am really really grateful that you have put the book into print and in such a user-friendly way.
Jenny Fletcher, Adoption Support Social Worker for Oxfordshire County Council
I have been writing Life Story Books for a number of years, and your approach answers a number of dilemmas I have had about how best to present the books.
Pip Thomas, Permanency Planning Social Worker for Worcestershire Children's Services
Clear, jargon free but spot on theoretically.
Alan Burnell, Co-Director of Family Futures Consortium
Many thanks for your excellent book, you managed to condense some really complex ideas into bite-sized pieces. I will be including it in the books that I take with me when running training.
Polly Baynes, children's guardian and independent life story work trainer