Lifebooks

for Children

Life Writings is uniquely qualified to help children through the process of creating their personal Lifebook, a book telling their own story. The founder of Life Writings is a licensed foster parent and proud adoptive parent, as well as an experienced trainer, presenter and writer. She is also well aware of the need for confidentiality and is sensitive to the needs of all parties involved.

Children who have been adopted or who are waiting for placement with an adoptive family need a clear understanding of where they came from, why they came into foster care, information on birthfamily members and caregivers, people, places and events that were important to them, their personal strengths and interests, as well as infromation about current foster and/or adoptive families and future plans for their lives.

Sometimes birthfamilies and people who are no longer active in a child's life are more comfortable sharing their information with a neutral party, rather than a representative of the county or agency. Life Writings can often obtain valuable historical information, poignant stories and photographs from these sources when previous attempts by agency personnel have failed.

It is important to get as much information as early as possible to preserve it for the child. The more time passes, the greater chances are that people will move away, die, forget details, lose memorabilia or become unreachable. Children in foster care usually have little control over continued contact with people who were important to them and yet those people hold precious pieces of the child's life.

It is equally important for a child to process their life story so that they can move forward with their lives. Sometimes those life stories are difficult to hear and to tell, and often they bring up painful memories and connections that have been buried beneath the surface of daily living. But unless the child and those close to him or her can work through those feelings and emotions, they will continue to affect the child, often in a negative manner.

Life Writings will work with the child who is either still in foster care or who has already joined their adoptive family. Life Writings will help the child share their memories and feelings with their foster family and/or adoptive family, therapist, social worker or anyone else trying to help the child through this period of transition. Life Writings can also be an important neutral party who can more easily connect with former foster families, birthfamilies and other people who have played an important role in the child's life. Such contacts would, of course, always be with permission and full confidentiality.

The process will result in a beautiful, creative Lifebook that will reflect the personal life story of each child. Everyone has had different experiences, and each story will be unique. Thus, the telling of each story must be an individual process. Certain information may be too complex to handle for younger children, so some parts of the Lifebook may be told simply, with more detailed information contained in a private memo or letters that can be shared and discussed when they are older.

Everyone undoubtedly agrees that a Lifebook is important for children who are adopted, but too often nobody has the time to do a professional job for them. A Life Writings Lifebook can be the answer to providing a valuable source of information, self-esteem and personal history for a child who has already experienced losses and a more complicated life than many people realize. For children who are waiting for an adoptive placement, a Lifebook can present the child in a realistic but positive manner to prospective parents.

If agency funding is a problem, Life Writings can explore grants and other funding avenues. However, the cost of a professionally prepared Lifebook is immeasurable and priceless. Don't delay - call today!

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