CONTENTS
PAGE
DIVERSITY ISSUES IN THE TRAINING SETTING ................................................... 2
DIRECT WORK WITH CHILDREN ............................................................................. 3
CREATING A SAFE SPACE ....................................................................................... 6
CHECKLIST OF ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS OF BLACK CLIENTS ......................... 8
GOOD PRACTICE POINTS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION WITH REFUGEE
CHILDREN ................................................................................................................... 9
GOOD LISTENERS…................................................................................................ 10
NON-LISTENING RESPONSES ............................................................................... 11
LISTENING MORE HELPFULLY .............................................................................. 12
SOME POSITIVES OF USING ART ......................................................................... 13
EXAMPLES OF USING ART..................................................................................... 14
THE ANTI-COLOURING BOOK ................................................................................ 15
USING WRITING IN DIRECT WORK ....................................................................... 16
ENCOURAGING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO WRITE.......................... 17
USING POETRY IN DIRECT WORK ........................................................................ 18
USING NARRATIVES TO CONNECT WITH A CHILD ............................................ 21
STORY TELLING ....................................................................................................... 23
WORKING WITH GRIEF ........................................................................................... 25
MAKING A MAP TO CONTAIN ANGER ................................................................... 27
LIFE STORY WORK .................................................................................................. 28
GENOGRAMS............................................................................................................ 32
GENOGRAM SYMBOLS ........................................................................................... 33
ECOMAPS.................................................................................................................. 34
COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN...................................................................... 35
BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................... 38
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING & RESOURCES ............................................ 39
PAGE 1
DIVERSITY ISSUES IN THE TRAINING SETTING
People who present courses for Reconstruct make some assumptions, even
though we’re supposed not to, about participants.
These are that the group will contain people from a diverse range of backgrounds,
some visible some less visible, some personal some professional. This diversity
will cover gender, race, sexual orientation, disability and a lot more including
personal experiences, class and religious persuasion.
So this means that the course will
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be presented using variety because people have different learning styles,
describe concepts using a variety of examples.
The presenters will
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avoid jargon (or at least explain it),
be aware of individual differences within the group and respect these,
avoid the stereotyping of particular groups in society,
be aware of the effect of language,
accept that everyone has the right and the responsibility to challenge.
Additionally the facilitators hope that participants will
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arrive punctually and stay (but explain unavoidable absences),
respect each other,
maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information,
recognise and value difference,
share experiences,
ask questions,
challenge views constructively.
We hope that this will provide a useful framework within which learning and
development can take place.
The Direct Work Resource Book
The resource book is provided to compliment the training. It should be used in the
context of an ongoing learning process. This resource book will be used for the
following courses:
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Communicating with Children
Direct Work
Lifestory Work
Every attempt has been made to ensure that all information and quotes
have been accurately referenced.
PAGE 2
DIRECT WORK WITH CHILDREN
A Definition
“..a means of intervening directly in the lives of children and young people so
as to enable them to understand significant events in their past, to confront
feelings engendered by these events and to become more fully involved in the
future planning of their lives.”1
Children tend to blame themselves for the events which led to their leaving home
and this is especially so if they have been abused. They are likely to need
reinforcement about their worth, self esteem may need to be boosted by
therapeutic or supportive services.2
Marinetto3 refers to Romaine who is of the opinion that the purpose of direct work
with all children and young people is to communicate ‘you are an important
person. The more I know about you, the better I can act on your behalf’.
Communicating … can help minimise the trauma of transitions.
Romaine refers to the aims of direct work with 4 different age groups.
Children aged 2 – 4 years
Direct work (through play) can help develop the emerging self, and can extend
engagement with the world and others through senses work can strengthen
relationships, can help assuage fears and anxieties and help the child feel safe in
transition.
Children aged 4 – 8 years
(In play) children can understand the concept of learning a new skill. Many of the
skills learnt through play can involve interaction with others. Story play can help us
understand the child’s perceptions of past events, present circumstances and
ideas about the future. The child’s perceptions, different from those of adults, can
be explored. Children can be helped to understand routines and how things may
be done in different settings. (Through play) relationships can be built and
improved. Strategies for working through problem behaviours can be developed.
1
Hapgood (1988). Creative Work with Adolescents in Direct Work with Children. Ed. J.
Aldgate and J. Simmonds. Batsford Books
2
Thoburn.J. (1994). Child Placement: Principles and Practice. Aldershot Arena.
3
Marinetto, D. (2000) Social Work with Children and Young People who are looked after. A
Reader and Study Guide, Swansea: University of Wales.
PAGE 3
Children aged 7 – 10 years
Having made a leap in cognitive abilities, children may have increased
understanding of early years experiences, resulting in behavioural changes.
Discovering children’s wishes and feelings can be a goal. Children may need
assistance to disengage from people (and experiences) from their early years.
Through play, children can explore difficult feelings and memories and share their
worries and anxieties. Forming identity, building up self-esteem and learning to
apply social rules and boundaries can take place. Children in transition can be
helped to build bridges.
Children aged 9 years onwards
With the development of hypothetical and abstract thought, young people can be
helped to see situations from a broader perspective. Continuing to develop a
sense of self, building self-esteem, dealing with post traumas, present hurts and
starting to take more adult responsibilities are all important. Children can be
helped to plan ahead, identify strategies for dealing with times when the effects of
the past may surface. Developing and practising a ‘cover story’ (a shortened, not
too revealing, version of their life / circumstances) may be of great help.
Communicating with children is not only a technique but involves rapport and
empathy, working at the children’s level and sharing an understanding of
communication.
Different forms of communicating with children:
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Spoken word
Written word
Drawing
Using models, puppets and toys
Shared activities
Being together
Observation
Discussion
Fahlberg4 is of the opinion that a major aspect of direct work is listening to
children. Children at different ages respond differently to different forms of
communication and it will also depend on the environment i.e. young children will
feel more at ease in their home surroundings and with an adult that they trust.
Whereas school-aged children might respond better while undertaking a
structured activity i.e. driving along in the car, engaged in an activity. With
adolescents on the other hand it is important to build up an alliance, share
information, allowing them to make choices and to be responsible for their actions.
4
Fahlberg, V (1994). A Childs Journey Through Placement. London: BAAF
PAGE 4
So what communication tools can be useful?
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Telephones.
Puppets.
Dolls.
Story telling.
Art activities.
Doing an eco map, life path.
Life storybook. This is the most common method used with children in the
looked after children system. It is a collection of words, pictures,
photographs and documents relating to the child.
Use books that talk about events common to the Childs situation. I.e. the
Jacqueline Wilson books – Tracy Beaker.
Activities and games.
Art, music and drama.
And many, many more!
Marinetto refers to the work done by Barnardos in developing a Memory Store.
Marinetto quotes Neville p119:
‘Hanging on to important memories can be particularly difficult for children
who lose contact with their families through illness, death or other separations.
The memory store was initially developed for work with families affected by
HIV, but has proved equally valuable in adoption work and other instances of
separation and loss. (It is) a brightly coloured box, inside are drawers where
the precious belongings of family life and childhood can be stored…tapes,
letters, writing, objects…unique boxes which reflect love, hope, dreams.’
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
AAC compliments or replaces spoken language. It “may range from any
movement or behaviour that is observed and interpreted by another person as
meaningful, to the use of a code agreed upon between people where items have
specific meanings i.e. a language… It is appropriate for individuals who have
difficulty with receptive and expressive language due to physical, sensory or
learning disability. It provides an opportunity to attain emotional, social,
educational and vocational goals.”5
Communicating with children who do not use verbal communication can pose
particular difficulties for workers, parents and carers. There are many barriers to
communication for some disabled children. There is a wide range of resources
available to aid working with children with AAC. Observation is a key skill in
working with children, particularly those who may use the slightest eye movement
to indicate a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.
Recommended Reading: Morris, J. (2002). A Lot to Say. SCOPE: A
guide for social workers and others working with children and young
people with communication impairments.
5
ACE Centre Advisory Trust (2001).
PAGE 5
CREATING A SAFE SPACE
Anne Bannister6 identifies the following elements that need to be considered in
creating a safe space: setting, unconditional regard, body language, therapeutic
role and family relationships and social networks. Within each of these elements,
some considerations have been identified below:
Setting
Consider where the interview or work takes place. For example:
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Does it need to be somewhere familiar, on neutral ground?
Accessibility
Is there privacy? Who else will be in the building – health and safety?
Is it comfortable, bright and welcoming?
Will it make a child feel at ease?
Where would the child prefer to be?
Are there any associations that the child could make with the location e.g. past
experiences?
What facilities are there e.g. drinks, play equipment, materials etc?
Health and safety issues such as fire exits.
Is there enough space? Not too large (imposing) and not too small
(oppressive). Space to move away from the activity/worker if required.
Is it suitable for work that might be messy (e.g. painting, play doh)!
How will the child get there?
Time of day?
Unconditional Regard
Workers need to be able to help the child feel safe enough to be able to share
their views, wishes and feelings. Children need to be able to express their
opinions without feeling judged by the worker. Children need to know that they will
not be punished for what they say or treated differently. They need to feel that
they are accepted by the worker.
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Ensure that negative statements or insinuations are not made about the child,
their experiences or their family.
Be honest and open.
Set boundaries, especially relating to unacceptable behaviour. Be clear that it
is the behaviour that is unacceptable not the child.
Consider your tone of voice and reactions when responding to comments or
statements made by the child.
Demonstrate that you value and respect the child for who they are.
Do not focus only on weaknesses; explore and build on strengths.
6
Bannister, A. (1998). From Hearing to Healing: Working with the Aftermath of Child Sexual Abuse.
Chichester: Wiley.
PAGE 6
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Be aware of the power dynamics that exist.
Demonstrate that you are actively listening.
Body Language
Workers need to be aware of their own and the child’s body language and what
messages it might portray.
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Be aware of your body language.
Adopt an ‘open’ stance.
Notice the child’s body language and comment on it appropriately. For
example, ‘it looks to me that you are feeling really angry about that…’. Check
this out and explain why you might have thought that: ‘when I am angry, I
notice that I sometimes raise my voice or talk a bit faster or clench my fists…’
Allow opportunities for cultural differences to be explored. For example, Native
Americans may show a sign of respect by avoiding direct eye contact.
Copying or mirroring body language can assist in demonstrating respect,
equality, trust and listening.
Have an awareness of how misperceptions of body language can be made.
For example, sitting forward may be perceived as intimidating or it may be
perceived as demonstrating listening.
Therapeutic Role
Workers need to be aware of the boundaries of their role and the need for
containment. It is important to ‘close down’ before the end of session. ‘Opening a
can of worms’ and then not exploring or containing this can be very damaging.
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Be clear about your role and its boundaries.
Establish a contract with the child or young person identifying the parameters
of your role, confidentiality, the purpose of the sessions, expectations etc.
Ensure that you have adequate support through supervision and other
relevant sources.
Have a beginning, middle and end to a session to pull things together.
Explore with the child how ‘opened up’ issues can be contained e.g. followed
up in next session, support from foster carer or other person e.g. therapist.
Allow space for the child to be able to talk about anything.
Ensure clarity for the child regarding confidentiality.
Show respect for the child and take what they say seriously.
The Individual Needs of the Child
When undertaking any work with a child, it is crucial that adequate consideration
is given to the needs of the child. These should be integral to all work with
children, young people and their families.
• Accessibility
• Communication methods/chosen language
• Culture/race/ethnicity
• Age and understanding.
PAGE 7
CHECKLIST OF ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS OF BLACK CLIENTS
The following checklist was established by Ahmad Bandana7:
• Have you acknowledged the fact that all assessments of black clients require
recognition of racism and its effects whether covert or overt?
• What steps have you taken to critically examine your values and perception of
black families?
• How do you ensure that your assessment is not based on negative
stereotypes of black families?
• Are you able to identify the root cause of your anxiety in the application of your
assessment methods and skills without blaming black clients?
• How do you respond to black clients challenging or criticising your assessment
– constructively or defensively?
• Are you confident to openly share your assessment with black clients and their
families?
• Do you usually define the needs of black clients or ensure your assessment is
based on their experience and reality? How do you ensure your assessment is
based on their experience and reality?
• Do you assess the strengths of black clients, their families and communities
as well as their weaknesses, problems and needs?
• What have you done to ensure your assessment responds to different and
specific needs of black clients, not just ‘special needs’?
• Can your assessment make clear distinctions between clients’ possible control
of personal problems and external constraints beyond their control? What are
the distinctions?
• Is your assessment sensitive to cultural implications, expectations and
aspirations? Make a list of cultural implications, expectations and aspirations.
• Are you restricting your assessment because you think there are no
resources, which justifies partial account of black clients’ needs?
• Do you fit black clients’ needs in your assessment or vice versa?
• Have you made passing and/or irrelevant comments that may distort your
assessment and misguide social work action?
• Is your assessment capable of incorporating effective short and long term
planning and evaluation?
• Do you challenge and include critical assessments of racist procedures and
practices of other institutions and professionals involved with black clients you
assess?
• What steps have you taken to check whether your assessment is influenced
by pathological, liberal or safe approach?
• Are you fully aware of racist outcomes your assessment may have on black
clients? Identify and list any possible outcomes that may be racist.
• Do you actively seek and/or use advice and guidance from black expertise?
• Can your assessment advocate for change and race equality? How?
• Can your assessment empower black clients? How?
• How do you evaluate your assessment of black clients and outcome of your
assessment on black clients?
7
Bandana, A. (1990). Black Perspectives in Social Work. Venture Press
PAGE 8
GOOD PRACTICE POINTS FOR IMPROVING COMMUNICATION
WITH REFUGEE CHILDREN
The following has been adapted from Naomi Richman8:
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Ensure regular contact with the child.
Show that you understand their reasons for distrust.
Give practical advice and information where possible.
Have a good interpreter.
Find activities that you can enjoy together.
Communicate through non-verbal activities like art and mime.
Learn about the history and culture of their country.
Get to know the parents if they are here.
Blocks in Communication
Blocks may result in communication due to the following situations:
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There is no common language and no interpreter, or the worker imagines that
the other person understands more English than he or she actually does.
The worker becomes upset or overwhelmed when faced with the refugee’s
difficulties. Other strong emotions such as anger, irritation or distrust can also
arise when faced with stories of atrocities and misfortune.
The worker cannot understand other cultures or points of view. Some social
workers cannot accept that parents do not inform their children about the
deaths of relatives, or that some children who are living with relatives have
been told specifically not to talk about the death of their parents because of
the fear that it may affect their asylum status.
Preconceptions block free communication e.g. being afraid to ask
straightforward questions because all refugees are thought to be traumatised.
Not respecting refugees.
The worker does not create trust, or realise the importance of confidentiality.
Work with refugees is not valued in the organisation and pressure of time
makes contacts too hurried and there is limited support and supervision for
workers.
8
Richman, N. (1998). In the Midst of the Whirlwind. A Manual for Helping Refugee Children.
Trentham Books.
PAGE 9
GOOD LISTENERS…
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Give space and time for people to say how they feel.
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Are not afraid of ‘silences’ to give time to think and reflect.
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Do not show their ‘judgement’ .
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Listeners are human! Of course they have opinions….but the important
thing is that their opinion does not become a barrier to listening.
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Acknowledges that thoughts, opinions and feelings are valid – and doesn’t
try to convince the other person that is not how they feel.
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Respect others, and empathize with them.
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Listen ‘actively’ – watch out for things that are said and not said and
RESPOND to these.
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Ask for clarification or explanation when they do not understand something
‘I don’t quite understand what you mean; could you help me by saying
some more about this?’
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Do not ‘give’ emotions, thoughts and feelings, but offer space to explore
them. For example, not, ‘You MUST have been very angry’ but instead ‘I
expect that made you feel very angry’, or ‘How did you feel when that
happened?’
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When making suggestions, give ideas and not INSTRUCTIONS. For
example, not, ‘You SHOULD / MUST…………’, but instead ‘Have you
thought about?’, ‘I wonder if………’, ‘Perhaps a good idea……..’
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Are not frightened of feelings.
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Are clear about what they can offer, and do not make ‘empty promises’ or
false reassurances to pacify the other person, and make themselves feel
better.
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Know when, and how, to get support for themselves.
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Do not think that they have the 'answers' or 'solutions' to everything
PAGE 10
NON-LISTENING RESPONSES
• Diverting the conversation away from what they child / young
person is saying
• Changing the subject to suit your own agenda
• Taking over, so that you become the focus for the conversation
• Assuming you know everything about the child / young person’s
situation
• Being falsely positive, for example, by telling the child / young
person that “things aren’t as bad as they seem” or that
“everything will be better in the morning”
• Asking questions to satisfy your own curiosity but which don’t
help the child/young person to clarify their situation or tell their
story
• Implying that the problem the young person/child is coping
with is all his/her fault
• Belittling the child/young person, e.g. saying
making a fuss about nothing
that they are
• Telling the child/young person that you or other people have
coped with far worse difficulties than the one they are facing
• Saying that the situation is coping with is hopeless
• Telling the child / young person what to do (if advice giving is
not your role) or without listening to what the child/young
person wants to do
PAGE 11
LISTENING MORE HELPFULLY
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IDENTIFICATION
This is the “I’ve been there too feeling”. In other words, “I understand this because
it happened to me too – I know how it feels for me”.
Responses based on identification are really about saying to the child/young
person that they must feel like you do. These responses usually begin with “I” and
are about you and your feelings rather than the child / young person, for example:
“I know what that’s like”, “I know exactly what you mean” or “that happened to me
too”
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SYMPATHY
The message behind sympathy is “This is what I think/feel about what is
happening for you”
We tend to feel sympathetic when we feel that someone is a victim, either of
another person’s actions or of fate. We feel sorry for them because they are
suffering and while that in itself is not such a bad thing, it can make people feel
even more helpless or worthless.
Sympathy typically involves personal judgements, for example:
“I thinks that’s terrible” or “ I don’t think it’s as bad as all that”.
• EMPATHY
EMPATHY
Empathy is often understood as putting yourself in another person’s shoes. This is
a useful way of understanding empathy, but only up to a point. The problem with
this idea is that we sometimes imagine we are the other person and expect them
to think and feel what we would think and feel – the temptation then is to take over
or draw conclusions based on what you would do in the child/young person’s
place.
An important aspect of empathy is “non-possessive warmth”. This is about
remaining warm and accepting towards a child / young person, regardless of what
they are saying. “Non-possessive warmth” is not dependent on whether or not we
feel sympathy towards the child/young person, but should be offered regardless of
our own feelings and judgements. This is really important because, if a
child/young person feels rejected by us they will probably then find it very hard to
talk to us about the things that really matter to them.
PAGE 12
SOME POSITIVES OF USING ART
• Everyone can join in at their own pace, and all contributions from a
doodle to a completed painting are equal.
• Art can be a vital way of communicating when words fail, or when
feelings have been covered over by words.
• A less challenging approach to challenging issues.
• The spatial nature of pictures means that many things can be
shown at once.
• Art encourages and develops creativity.
• Art is a useful tool to explore fantasy and imagination.
• Art creates an end “product” that can be kept and returned to.
• Art can provide a connection with others, within self and with the
medium.
• Art is portable and cheap.
• Art can be fun, relaxing and pleasurable.
PAGE 13
EXAMPLES OF USING ART
These are simple yet effective exercises that can be used when working 1:1 with
a child and with a group. The exercises can be built upon and developed; they
can be used to ‘open up’ discussion.
Self Image
This is an exercise to help young people to start talking about how they see
themselves and receive encouraging feedback from others enabling discussion.
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Ask young person to draw two images of themself. The first is an image of
how they see themselves. When this image is complete, ask them to do a
second image, this time of how they think other people see them.
Note how long is taken on each image and which feels most important to the
young person.
Ask them which image they like best and why.
Ask them what the differences are between the two images. Are there any
things that are the same, and if so, what are they?
Where appropriate, offer comments on how you see the young person and
ask others for any positive comments (if conducting in a group session).
My Strengths
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Ask the young person to fill the page with pictures of the things that they feel
are good at or like about themselves. If this proves to be too difficult, it could
be broadened to include the things that they are good at and the things they
like doing. For example, one image could depict that the young person feels
that they are kind, funny or good at drawing. Another could depict that they
have a nice smile and like horse riding.
Help the young person by prompting them with the things that you might put in
your own picture (if necessary and make sure that you do not lead the young
person’s thinking).
When the image is complete ask them to tell you about it and the things they
like best about it.
Then ask the young person to make a second image of the things that they
would like to be good at.
What are the differences and similarities between the two?
Ask them how they might go about getting better at the things that they would
like to be good at.
Ask the young person how they feel about the pictures and what they enjoyed
and didn’t enjoy about the exercise.
[With thanks to Tanya Chowdhury, Art Therapist. July 2005].
PAGE 14
THE ANTI-COLOURING BOOK
PAGE 15
USING WRITING IN DIRECT WORK
YOU CAN
hate writing
Be ungrammatical
e
**!!*CURSE**!!**
paste in whatever you want
YOU CAN BE……….
very, very neat
Organised
HAVE BIG WRITING
HAVE LITTLE WRITING
PAGE 16
ENCOURAGING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO WRITE
Children and young people may have been deprived or disadvantaged by their life
experiences, but their imaginations and potential for creativity remain intact.
They are often powerfully inhibited by the following:
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Feeling that writing is like school work, and that they will fail.
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Worrying about spelling and handwriting.
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Fearing that they will be criticised or ridiculed.
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Having their work corrected by an adult, and altered so that it looks “right”.
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Having their work interpreted, to explore their personal feeling or make
guesses about their life experience.
PAGE 17
USING POETRY IN DIRECT WORK
“I am able to order my thoughts and feelings more eloquently and directly, almost
as if the poetry comes from the deepest part of my being.” 9
“Poetry is very like string. Its comparative thinness and quickness enables it to
reach the parts that prose cannot, leaping straight to the heart of the matter.” 10
Poetry can be used in variety of different ways when working with children and
young people. As a worker, you can support a child to create their own poems.
You can combine different mediums with developing poetry such as art. Poetry
can be used regardless of literacy levels. Workers can act as a ‘scribe’ if
requested by children. Using a computer to write the poems can be another way
of engaging a child as well as supporting the development of other skills.
Here are a few ideas of how poetry can be used:
Anacrostic Poems
Identify a word such as ‘mummy’, ‘school’ or ‘future’. It could be a word that the
child has used a number of times such as ‘frightening’. Write the word vertically
and encourage the child to write something on the first line using the word
identified (e.g. ‘mummy’). The second line will then begin using the letter ‘u’. For
example:
Mummy makes me laugh
Understands me
Makes me cry
Makes me scared but
You still need your mummy.
Feelings Poems
9
Allen, Lee (2004). The Power of Poetry in CPJ. 15(6):45-47.
Bolton, G. (1999). The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
10
PAGE 18
Identify a feeling (e.g. anger) or situation (e.g. foster placement) and encourage
the child to explore it using questions such as: What is it? What does it look like?
What colour is it? What does it smell like? What is it like for you? And so forth.
Then ask the child to prefix the answers with the word.
For example:
Happiness is what I really want.
Happiness is bright and colourful, reds and yellows and orange. It’s like the sun.
Happiness smells sweet and yummy.
Happiness is a song that you can’t help singing.
Happiness is something that everyone should have all of the time.
Happiness is a dream and a nightmare that I always have.
Begin the first line
Start the poem for the child. For example:
One frightening thought I have is…. Or
One thing I am looking forward to is... Or
One worry I have is…
Read a selection of poems
You can identify poems that relate to a child’s situation. For example, Lemn
Sissay has written a lot of poems about his experience of being in care.
Encourage a child to think of themes about what it feels like to be in care and then
write them in the form of a poem.
Here is one of Lemn’s poems:
PAGE 19
Suitcases & Muddy Parks
You say I am a lying child
I say I'm not
you say there you go again
You say I am a rebellious child
I say no I'm not
you say there you go again
Quite frankly mum
I've never seen a rebellious child before
and when my mates said
jump in that puddle and race you through the park
(y'know, the muddy one)
I didn't think about the mud.
When you said why you are dirty!
I could feel the anger in your voice
I still don't know why.
I said I raced my mates through the park.
You said it was deliberate.
I said I didn't I mean I did but it wasn't.
You said I was lying,
I said no I am not.
You said there you go again.
Later in the dawn of adolescence
it was time for my leave
I with my suitcase, social worker,
you with your husband,
walked our sliced ways.
Sometimes I run back to you
like a child through a muddy park,
adult achievements tucked under each arm,
I explain them with a child-like twinkle,
thinking any mother would be proud...
Your eyes, desperately trying hard to be wise and unrevealing, reveal all.
Still you fall back into the heart of the same rocking chair saying There you go
again.
And I did.
And I have.
PAGE 20
USING NARRATIVES TO CONNECT WITH A CHILD
“Words have the ability to shape our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, actions and
relationships. When placed together in a cohesive form such as a story, the effect
can be more powerful. Stories instruct us and help us to make sense of our
experience of the world. Stories allow readers to see themselves connected to the
past, present, and future.”11
The following is summarised from Lacher et al (2005) on their work regarding
developing attachment in adopted children. The model provided can be adapted
for a range of situations and used with children through direct work.
Narratives can be used in a variety of ways and can be a powerful mechanism for
working directly with both children and adults. Stories can be used to help us
make sense of our lives; they grow and develop over time and with new
experiences. They can be helpful as they can create a sense of ‘distance’ which
can make it feel safer to explore issues and emotions.
Lacher et al (2005) believe that the use of narratives by adoptive parents can
support the child to develop a new inner working model or life perspective. It is
important that parents/carers are attuned to the child. Emotional attunement is
central to secure attachment.
Constructing a Narrative
Lacher et al (2005)12 identify three common themes that are apparent from the
narrative work that they have undertaken:
1. Claiming: “From the first, you deserved to be loved and cared for by parents
you could trust.”
2. Trauma: “Even though you experienced abuse, abandonment, or neglect you
deserved to be loved and cared for by responsible parents.”
3. Developmental: “Your behaviour does not define your value and I (we) will be
there to love and support you as you make changes.”
11
(Siegel and Hartzell, 2003, cited in Lacher et al, 2005, pg 49
Lacher, D., Nichols, T. and May, J. (2005) Connecting with Kids through Stories – Using
Narratives to Facilitate Attachment in Adopted Children. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
12
PAGE 21
Components of Narratives
1. The perspective:
•
•
•
Need to choose the perspective from which the story is told.
The first person (I, my, me) is often used in claiming or developmental
narratives.
The third person perspective (she, he, it) are more commonly used in
trauma narratives.
2. The hero:
•
•
•
•
Used as someone the child can relate to thus more open to receiving the
story’s message.
Successful use can communicate that the child has been understood.
Can assist internalising the message.
Can be anything that the child may identify with or are fascinated by.
3. The message:
•
•
•
•
•
Content is specific to the child and determined by the child’s unique inner
working model.
The message underpins the basis and structure of the story.
A beginning, middle and an end.
Attention is required to detail, actions, thoughts, feelings and so forth.
Sequencing of events can also teach children about planning and form.
Story Construction Guide
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What would you like to work on with your child?
What is the message you would like the story to convey?
What perspective (first or third person) seems most appropriate for your
situation and message?
In the first person perspective, you may use your own experience or story that
your child may identify with to communicate the message to your child.
Describe the events of the experience…
Think about the emotional content: how can you convey the emotions both
verbally and non-verbally?
If you are considering the third person perspective, with what character might
your child identify? Describe the appearance of the character; describe the
setting in which the story takes place.
Referring back to the message you would like to convey, what plot would
capture your child’s interest while communicating the message?
What are the character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions as the plot unfolds?
Would any story aides be helpful? If so, what?
PAGE 22
STORY TELLING
•
In every part of the world, stories were once a central part of culture. Folk
tales had an enormous range of meaning. A story could contain the
history and wisdom of a society, reinforce the importance of tradition and
custom, be used to teach skills, explain the mysteries of the universe and
how people fitted into the world, offer solutions to personal and practical
problems, amuse and entertain.
•
Stories can be used in all kinds of work with children and young people, as
a safe and creative way of making sense of their world. They can be used
to work with children and young people who have been abused, and they
can be used to help children and young people feel powerful against
oppression.
•
Stories are flexible. They can be “tailored” to the needs of individual
children, and children can take charge of what happens in the story.
•
Stories can convey positive messages that reinforce anti-discriminatory
practice. They can celebrate difference and emphasise the strength and
beauty of all children.
•
Stories can change. They can be told again and again in different ways.
They can develop, have different possibilities and endings.
•
Stories can form the centre for a number of creative activities, including
using art, music and drama.
•
Stories can be used to work with individuals and groups.
PAGE 23
THE STORY FRAMEWORK
Once upon a time, there was a young woman who woke up just as the night was
turning into day, knowing she must set out on a long, long journey, with no certainty
of return to the place she started from. The house where she began was on the
edge of a great wilderness, a landscape of stony mountains, and fierce rivers which
ran down to the far distant sea.
She knew the journey would be hard, so she only took three things with her; a
token to remind her of the safe place in her heart where she could always be
herself, a self that was strong and feared nothing, her favourite garment and a
photograph of someone who was dear to her.
Then she set off on her journey across the wilderness. She took great comfort
from knowing that many people had travelled before her, and reached their
destination, although the way was so hard, and sometimes so difficult to find that
sometimes travellers despaired that they would ever reach journey’s end.
She had travelled only a few miles along the path that ran through the wilderness,
when she met a magical animal. The animal could speak and understand the
language of humans, and it had often accompanied women through the wilderness,
so it held great wisdom about the journey. They decided to travel together, to help
each other if they needed to and to be company for each other.
They had many adventures, and found two special things as they travelled along
the path. One was a map of the way they should take, the other was an object of
great power.
One day, they came to the edge of a great forest, and when they looked at the
map, they saw there was no way round it. They would have to travel through the
very heart of the forest to reach their destination. The animal knew, from certain
signs that travellers had left, that something evil lived in the forest and preyed on
anyone who dared to enter its boundaries.
When night fell, the young woman and her animal companion were surrounded by
great trees that hid the moon’s shine, and it was hard to follow the path which
wandered and faded and sometimes seemed to altogether disappear.
Out of the darkness, came the terrible monster they had dreaded meeting and
carried the young woman off to a tower in the darkest part of the wood.
The young woman was very brave and resourceful, and with the help of her animal
companion, the object of great power, and her own strength and wisdom, she was
able to defeat the monster, to take away his power and escape.
She travelled on with her companion, until one day they came to the other side of
the wilderness, and reached their destination. She had learnt some very special
things about herself.
And she lived well ever after.
PAGE 24
WORKING WITH GRIEF
Bereavement is the experience of loss and grief accompanies bereavement. Grief
is defined as acute mental suffering13. It is sometimes seen as an emotion, but
grief is usually made up of several complex strands that will probably include:
•
•
•
•
•
A physical response
An emotional response
A social response
An intellectual response
A spiritual response
The intensity of grief and its persistence is enormously variable. Burrows and
Keenan identify six responses that people have to loss:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Shock.
Denial and panic.
Anger.
Guilt.
Yearning and pining.
Searching.
Children and young people who are grieving usually travel through some
characteristic stages.
Denial
Denial is the immediate rejection of loss. Where there has been preparation
and support, denial can be less intense and shorter lived. Some children and
young people, particularly those who have been abused, can only survive by
using denial as an anaesthetic to hold the pain at bay.
Emotional Anguish
Emotional pain will almost certainly include anger and guilt.
Other forceful grief reactions may include anxiety, dismay, longing, shame
and vivid, sometimes obsessive memories.
Partial Adjustment
Resolving grief alongside the often painful process of growing up can prolong
the period of anguish for a very long time. This can be a period when children
and young people brood, are depressed and feel physically apathetic and
lacking in energy.
13
Burrows, R. and Keenan, B. (2004). Considering Children and Parents/Carers. Barnardo’s
PAGE 25
Acceptance
Resolving grief comes when the acceptance of the loss is incorporated into
the present. The “scars” of pain will remain, but the pain no longer dominates
all life experience. In adults, this is a time when new relationships become
possible, old relationships are reconsidered and it is possible to have positive
feelings about the future.
For children and young people who are dependent on adults and very much
less powerful, acceptance can be forced upon them.
And Remember…
While these characteristics are set out in sequence, it is important to stress
there is no set time scale or convenient pattern in real life.
Children and young people need to be helped to resolve loss, or they will
experience new loss and change as activating old grief and adding to their
pain. This sad process will inevitably lead to great difficulties in their adult life.
When planning Direct Work it is crucial to think about loss. Helping young
people to feel optimistic about themselves and their future will be impossible if
they are trapped in feelings of unresolved grief.
PAGE 26
MAKING A MAP TO CONTAIN ANGER
Physical Signs
•
What happens to your body when you become angry?
You might feel cold, sweaty, tense your muscles, find it difficult to breathe
evenly.
•
Do you ever experience physical pain?
You might get a head-ache, a stomach-ache.
Behavioural Signs
•
How do you behave when you’re angry?
You might giggle, not be able to eat, weep.
What Lessons Have You Learnt About Being Angry?
• When you were growing up, what did you learn about being angry?
• What did your parents, carers, brothers and sisters, teachers do when
they were angry?
• What messages did you get when you were angry?
• You might have been told you were bad, stupid, unfeminine, comical.
Anger Expressed as Violence
•
Have you ever suffered violence because someone was angry with
you, or done anything violent because you were angry?
•
What are safe ways for you to express and release your own anger?
•
Are there people who can help and support you when you are really
angry?
Anger as a Positive Force
•
Can you find positive energy in your own anger?
•
Has your anger helped you to achieve or overcome?
PAGE 27
LIFE STORY WORK
The following is information regarding Life Story Work provided by the British
Association for Fostering and Adoption (BAAF).
The Purpose
•
Life story work can be an invaluable tool in helping children and young
people who have become separated from their birth family, or
experienced many moves and changes in their lives, make sense of
their life experience and history.
•
As well as preserving past history, it is also a helpful way of enabling
children and young people to think about their present situation, and
what their wishes and feelings might be for the future.
•
The ideal time for the work to be carried out, is when a child is in a safe
and stable placement.
Principles
•
Take into account the child’s age, development, preferred method of
communication, cultural background and any disabilities or
communication differences.
•
Be honest with the child about the reasons for the work and what you
know – which may well be limited – about their past.
•
It will be an enormous task for everyone involved and they will need to
be committed.
•
Work at the child’s pace, helping them to overcome blocks, which may
prevent them from moving on. If the child rejects the work, it may be
the wrong time, you may not be the right person, or there may be the
need for other work with the child before life story work can be
successfully managed.
•
Respect the child as an individual. Life story work can be a vital part of
working with children on their identity and self-esteem.
Preparation
•
Allow sufficient time for the work.
•
Research the child’s history as thoroughly as you possibly can. The
questions you will ask when you find gaps and confusions will be the same
questions the child will ask, if not now, then in ten or twenty years time.
PAGE 28
•
Gather together your information from as many sources and perspectives
as possible.
•
Be as creative as you can in gathering information – use photographs,
videos, mementoes – anything you think will have significance in
conveying the child’s history.
•
Ensure there is support for the child, and for yourself as a worker. The
work will inevitably raise painful issues.
Materials and Methods
• The following suggestions may be helpful, in creating a basic “tool box” for
sessions:
-
Large sheets of paper in a variety of colours.
Pens and crayons.
Magazines and newspapers for collage and headlines.
Photographs of places and people connected to the child.
Glue and sellotape.
General collage material – sequins, glitter, stickers.
Telephones.
Dolls houses and small dolls.
Cars, ambulances and police cars.
Magic wand.
Outlines of faces to represent feelings
Dough or clay.
A special box for “dumping” feelings, putting secrets etc.
Tactile objects and objects that smell.
Video camera and tapes.
Polaroid camera.
CARRYING OUT THE WORK
• For very young children, life story work will have been begun by
professionals, without the active participation of the child.
• For children and young people who can be active participants in the work,
workers should encourage and enable them to chose where they wish to
begin.
• Contributions to the work can include visits to significant places or people,
and photographs can be taken and mementoes collected from these
visits.
• Sometimes sessions will be very difficult and painful, and it is useful to
establish a method of “leaving behind the pain”, that will feel genuine and
acceptable. That might include making a “dump” box to contain those
feelings or using a “graffiti wall” sheet of paper to immediately scribble and
draw on, and then tear up.
PAGE 29
Endings
•
When the work reaches a point that feels as far as it can go in terms of
“here and now” it is important to acknowledge this, and prepare the child or
young person to move on with their future. The book can be integrated
into work in their new situation if that feels appropriate.
Possible Issues That
Workers
May Arise for Children, Young People and
•
Workers will need to deal as honestly and openly as they can with
questions that may be concerned with painful issues. It is essential that
the worker prepares their responses, so that they are clear as possible
about the facts and circumstances, and that they think about the best way
to support the child.
•
Many children and young people will be dissatisfied and angry about their
experience of the social work system. Workers will need to support them
in working through their feelings. Unresolved or suppressed feelings will
impact on the work to be done.
•
Children and young people are likely to disclose abuse, or, if professionals
already know about incidents of abuse, make further disclosures when
they begin to feel secure and safe, and it is essential that workers are clear
about the policies they must follow and helpful ways to support and enable
children and young people, so they do not become powerless.
•
While life story work can be a creative and positive experience, it will
inevitably be extremely painful. Workers will need appropriate time,
support, supervision and consultation while undertaking the work.
•
The future, following the completion of the work, can be a very sensitive
area. Children and young people may yearn for reassurances and
guarantees that workers will be unable to make. Workers will need to find
a comfortable and sincere way to express their best hopes for the future.
Life Story Work and Internalisation
Rose and Philpot14 use a method of life story work that goes beyond ‘telling
the child’s story’ and discuss the way in which life story work can be used
therapeutically to help traumatised children. They state:
“Let us be quite clear about what a life story book is. It is not a life story in the
accepted, conventional autobiographical sense, although it is an
autobiography and it will be roughly chronological… a life story book of the
type described her is, first and foremost, a clear account of what happened
during the process of internalization. It is where the child has reached at the
14
Rose, R. & Philpot, T. (2005). The Child’s Own Story: Life Story Work with Traumatized Children.
Jessica Kingsley Publis-hers.
PAGE 30
end of that process; it is much more than a factual account a series of dates, a
chronology. Through it the child needs to recognise what she has done and
achieved, what she has come to understand about herself and her life. Even if
the book is not always literally true, it is the child’s story, where – importantly –
misconceptions, which should now find no place between the book’s covers,
are dissolved.” (p. 119-120)
Rose and Philpot stress the importance of gathering information prior to
commencing the life story work through researching public records, files and
newspapers, for example. Interviewing relevant family, friends, past carers
and others is also an important part of the preparatory work.
They advocate the use of wallpaper as a mechanism for building up the
information and story with the child before the book itself is written for the
following reasons:
•
It’s cheap and easily obtainable.
•
It can be rolled up and rolled back.
•
It allows the whole story to be recorded continuously having “a visual unity
and continuation that the child can see” (p.94).
•
It’s versatile and flexible – can be used to paint, draw, stick, collage in.
•
It’s more difficult to remove or obscure what’s been written on it.
•
It can be used to stick feelings, thoughts etc. on in a sealed envelope.
•
It’s fun – bright, colourful, full of images.
•
It allows creativity and imagination.
•
You can get down on your hands and knees to work on it.
•
“Life’s a journey, and wallpaper allows it be marked..by dates and events.
But wallpaper also allows drawings to be made that are symbolic of
journeys along the bottom of the wallpaper” (p. 94). These images which
are meaningful to the child (e.g. balls, horses, animals) can represent a
year and be numbered, for example.
Following the ‘wallpaper’ stage in the process, Rose and Philpot identify the
practicalities of writing the book as well as discussing what happens after
completion of the life story work as a planned, structured piece of direct work.
PAGE 31
GENOGRAMS
“Genograms can become a useful talking point for families who, while they are
helping the worker to complete them, begin to uncover their family’ unwritten
rules, myths, secrets and taboos. This map of family relationships can reveal, too,
how patterns might get repeated across generations.”
Coulshed & Orme15
Genograms (family trees) are a graphical representation of family relationships.
The youngest generation sits on the bottom and the oldest at the top. Genograms
need to be three generations (minimum) and other significant people.
Guidelines for Genogram Work
The following are an example of some of the questions that can be used during
genogram work16 and can be adapted for use with children.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who is in charge?
Haw are decisions made in your family?
How has your family negotiated gender roles?
How is ethnicity, culture and class understood in your family and what
meanings do they have?
How does your family deal with differences?
Who is closer and who is most distant to and from you?
What family scripts/beliefs organise family behaviour and thinking e.g.
education, health, politics, religion?
Is there a connection between position in your family and position you choose
in your work context or other groups?
What is the connection with family themes and the job you have chosen?
Identify points of transition in your family where outside intervention would have
been helpful?
What patterns do you notice when returning ‘home’ now?
Colour coding can also be used to express how the child feels about the relatives
and relationships17.
15
Coulshed, V. & Orme, J. (1998). Social Work Practice: An Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Goldrick, M. et al. (1999). Genograms: Assessment and Intervention. W.W. Norton & Company.
17
Rose, Richard & Philpot, T. (2005). The Child’s Own Story: Life Story Work with Traumatized
Children. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
16
PAGE 32
GENOGRAM SYMBOLS
PAGE 33
ECOMAPS
An ecomap illustrates the people and connections that a person has. They can be
used in a variety of ways using colours to indicate relationships, distance to
spatially illustrate closeness of relatives/friends and so forth. Using colours or
distance can create an opportunity for a child to discuss their relationships and
feelings. They were originally developed as an initial interviewing tool18 to open
communication between the child and social worker.
Ryan and Walker developed the use of the ecomap and adapted it for use
during the bridging period between places as well as when the child is in the
new foster placement. They state that it then becomes a “means of helping
the child and the new family to understand in pictorial form what we believe is
happening”.
They provide the following example:
18
Fahlberg, V. cited in Ryan, T. & Walker, R. (1993). Life Story Work. BAAF.
PAGE 34
COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN
These 'Ten Commandments'19, despite being written over 30 years ago, provide a
sound foundation for communicating with children. Kay Donley states:
1. Avoid clichés in talking to children
Children recognise clichés and your use of them will readily and clearly inform the
child that you are indeed an adult who does not know how to talk to them. Some
of the typical clichés that adults use in working with children are questions,
probing questions, such as, 'How do you like school? Which class are you in?'
Never begin a conversation with a child in that way. Eventually, when you really
know the child, such questions may be appropriate, but never as an opening
gambit. The best way to begin a conversation with a child is simply to exchange
some pleasantries about who you are and how pleased you are to know him/her
and let it go for a while. Children are more responsive to the idea of approaching
you gradually, than to being physically and psychically overwhelmed by this large
thing that flies at them and begins to probe their inmost thoughts. Take your time.
You never know at first if you have a very shy, withdrawn child or a very
aggressive one.
2. Assume that any child you are going to work with has some deep
concern that has never been adequately understood or answered
I am referring specifically to children in public care, all of whom typically share the
experience of having been separated from their parents. In many cases they have
also lost a succession of care-takers - house parents and foster parents. In
working with the child you may, in fact, discover that someone very skilled and
very sensitive has helped him/her to understand what has happened. But it is
safer to assume that no one has adequately assessed the deep and often
confused concerns of the child.
3. Understand from the beginning that children in care have been hurt:
some part of them has been damaged
Never make the assumption that, because everyone presents this child as
untouched and undamaged, he/she must be that way. More often that not, the
child will have been handled by a lot of unperceptive people. Perhaps this
particular child has made an exceptionally good adjustment in the face of difficult
and painful circumstances. But as a rule, there are always, some damaged pieces
of unfinished business tucked away. if you understand that, you will not be
dismayed or thrown off balance six months later when someone says: 'You know,
there's something peculiar about this kid. he/she's not quite what I would call
'normal'.'
19
Donley, K. (1975). Opening New Doors. ABAFA.
PAGE 35
4. Remember that in working with a child your essential task is to learn how
he/she explains him/herself to him/herself, and what he/she understands
his/her situation to be
Unless you really know what is going on inside him/her, you will not be able to
represent him/her justly or truthfully to residential staff or to potential foster or
adoptive parents. It is not simply that you must know where this child is for own
satisfaction. You must be prepared to communicate your understanding to other
people. This is not easy.
5. Develop specific concrete tools that will help you communicate with
children
Children are not normally interested solely in verbalisation as a way of
communicating with anyone. They have other available tools and you must find
out what they are so that you can use them too.
6. Be prepared to become a dependable, predictable and regular fixture in
the child's experience
You simply cannot pop in on a Monday and say, I'll see you again sometime
soon'. The social worker's indefinite promise of returning to his/her life usually
means avoiding him/her for several weeks and then popping in again. This simply
does not work and is, in fact, destructive. You are adding to the child's already
increasing fund of knowledge that, as far as he is concerned, adults are
undependable, unpredictable and unknowable. You must regularise your contact.
Most social workers say, 'I really would like to, but I haven't the time'. This begs
the question, because it is possible to regularise contacts, even if there are long
intervals between visits. It is the idea of predictability that is important to the child.
If you make a commitment then you keep it. (And I mean you keep it, even if it
breaks your back!) If, for some reason, you are unable to keep the appointment
you have made, it is important that you communicate directly with the child the
reasons why you cannot. I have known workers go to the extent of sending a
telegram to a child whom they could not reach by telephone, so strong was their
sense of commitment.
7. Remember that each child's experience is unique and that it is absolutely
crucial that each child is helped to begin to come to grips with his/her life
You cannot begin on the assumption that, because you have worked successfully
with one or two children who have been neglected by their parents, you know
what this experience means to any child. Certainly, you can learn from one
situation and apply your knowledge to another. But keep in mind that you are
dealing with individuals": Deceptively similar experiences have different meanings
for different children.
PAGE 36
8. As you work with a child over a period of time, you must help him/her
develop what I call a 'cover story'
'Cover story' is not a very good phrase because a lot of people think that I mean
concealing things and I do not. I believe that a child must have a clear,
understandable, acceptable explanation of his/her circumstances, which he/she
must be able to use at will and comfortably. For example, when he/she goes to a
new school, he/she will be meeting a lot of new children, making friends and
meeting people living in the neighbourhood. He/she will be asked questions
about him/herself and it is essential that he should have a socially acceptable and
logical explanation for who he/she is and where he/she is in this situation. Only
too frequently, unskilled workers do not appreciate how essential this is and do
not help the child develop a 'cover story' for public consumption. Without it the
child is left to his/her own devices and frequently falls into fabrication. A child
fabricates when he/she is not quite sure how people will receive the true facts of
his/her situation. Fabrication, once found out, will very quickly give the child a
reputation in the neighbourhood for being a spinner of tall tales, or at worst, a liar.
9. Commit yourself always to what I call a multifaceted or composite view of
the child
Remember there is no one true way of seeing and experiencing a youngster.
Every person who has contact with the child will have a slightly different point of
view and a unique experience. Some people will be enthusiastic about him/her,
while others cannot abide him/her. What you are really searching for is a
combination for all those perceptions, because buried amongst all of them there is
the truth. Somewhere, amongst all those varying views of the child, will be a
perception that his/her potential adoptive parents may make of him/her. So it is
important that you begin to develop that kind of sensitivity and awareness.
10. Keep in mind from the beginning of your work that you obliged to
convey to any care-takers - be they residential staff or adoptive families - a
true sense of the child's history
You may think that this is self-evident and that I am being needlessly repetitious in
stressing this point. But I think it bears repeating, because many social workers
feel they are doing a child a grave injustice by telling the full and sorry tale, and
that the only way to spare the child is to conceal certain things. These are usually
things the social worker finds distressing or unpalatable, so they are concealed
because she feels that this will give the child a better chance in life, a better
opportunity for placement, and easier adjustment. Invariable those very things
come flashing up anew out of the child's history and past to create problems and
difficulties for him/her and his/her caretakers. This is a painful area for most social
workers but it is one that you must grapple with and come to terms with.
PAGE 37
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ahmad, B. (1990). Black Perspectives in Social Work. Venture Press.
Allen, Lee (2004). The Power of Poetry in CPJ. 15(6):45-47.
Bannister, A. (1998). From Hearing to Healing: Working with the Aftermath of
Child Sexual Abuse. Chichester: Wiley.
Bolton, G. (1999). The Therapeutic Potential of Creative Writing. Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.
Burrows, R. and Keenan, B. (2004). Considering Children and Parents/Carers.
Barnardo’s.
Donley, K. (1975). Opening New Doors. ABAFA.
Fahlberg, V. (1994). A Childs Journey Through Placement. London: BAAF.
Goldrick, M. et al. (1999). Genograms: Assessment and Intervention. W.W.
Norton & Company.
Hapgood (1988). Creative Work with Adolescents in Direct Work with Children.
Ed. J. Aldgate and J. Simmonds. Batsford Books.
Lacher, D., Nichols, T. and May, J. (2005) Connecting with Kids through Stories –
Using Narratives to Facilitate Attachment in Adopted Children. Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.
Marinetto, D. (2000) Social Work with Children and Young People Who Are
Looked After. A Reader and Study Guide. Swansea: University of Wales.
Richman, N. (1998). In the Midst of the Whirlwind. A Manual for Helping Refugee
Children. Trentham Books.
Rose, R. & Philpot, T. (2005). The Child’s Own Story. Life Story Work with
Traumatized Children. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Ryan, T. & Walker, R. (1993). Life Story Work. BAAF.
Thoburn.J. (1994). Child Placement: Principles and Practice. Aldershot Arena.
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SUGGESTED FURTHER READING & RESOURCES
The following is a list of suggested further reading:
•
Fahlberg, V (2003). A Childs Journey Through Placement. London: BAAF.
•
Howarth, J. (2003). The Child’s World: Assessing Children in Need. Jessica
Kingsley Publishers.
•
Ollier, K. & Hobday, A. (1999). Creative Therapy: Activities with Children and
Adolescents. Humanics Publishing.
•
Ryan, T. & Walker, R. (2003). Life Story Work: A Practical Guide to Helping
Children Understand Their Past. BAAF Adoption and Fostering.
•
Silverstone, L. (1997). Art Therapy: The Person Centred Way.
•
Stallard, P. (2002). Think Good – Feel Good: A Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy Workbook for Children and Young People. Wiley & Sons.
•
Turner, M. (1999). Talking with Children & Young People About Death &
Dying: A Workbook. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Resources
•
Arneson, L. (2003). Thoughts & Feelings: A Sentence Completion Card
Game. Cards with bright and thoughtful pictures. Participants complete
sentences regarding memories, thoughts, feelings and much more. Could be
used to develop skills and awareness as well as aid assessment.
•
BAAF. (2001). My Life and Me. Workbook for children & young people to use.
•
Centrepoint (1997). Changing Places: Preparing Young People for
Independence. Laminated cards that can be used individually or in groups of
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young
people
preparing
for
independence.
Covers
being
healthy,
relationships, housing, money, training & employment.
•
Kirkbride, L. (1999). I’ll Go First: The Planning & Review Toolkit for Use with
Children with Disabilities. Children’s Society. A range of laminated cards which
can be written on and wiped off. Used to aid communication regarding wishes,
feelings and views about the care and education they receive. Pack includes
reusable stickers and a Good Practice Guide.
•
MENCAP. Listen Up: Helping Children with a Learning Disability Complaint
About the Service They Use. A pack including video, CD Rom, workbook,
game and guide. Photocopiable material. Toolkit to support children and
young people to develop their own ‘Listen Up’ material. Focussed on
supporting children to think about their lives and the choices that have and
make. FREE.
•
Winslow. Crazy Cards. Set of cards that can be used in a variety of ways with
individuals or to support group cohesion. Can also aid awareness, expression
and communication.
•
Winslow. Let’s Talk! Discussion and Prompt Cards for Use with All Group.
Can be used with groups to aid social interaction in differing ways. Can also
be used one-to-one.
•
Zakich, R. The Ungame: A Cooperative Adventure in Communication. Board
game which facilitates communication. It explores the range of human
experience and is non-competitive. It can be used in a range of ways, for fun
or during direct work with individuals or groups.
Websites for Resources
Multicultural books: www.letterboxlibrary.com
Black dolls: www.blackdollsdirect.co.uk
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