Hello, my name is Charlotte Swainston and I am a Social Worker in Darlington. My journey into social work began in my early childhood, as I grew up being a part of a fostering family. I have over 15 years of experience supporting children, young people, and families in various roles such as a Nursery Nurse, Family Support Worker for education welfare and children’s safeguarding, Early Years Practitioner with the Health Visiting Team, Foster Carer, Youth Work, Early Help, Edge of Care, Assessment and Safeguarding, Children and Family Support Worker in a women’s refuge where women and children have fled domestic abuse and a Children and Family Support worker for NEPACS supporting children and family members to maintain a relationship when a loved one is in prison.
I embarked on the social work journey as one of the first apprentices in 2019 and qualified as a Social Worker in 2022. I found a love of learning and have gone on to attend further education as an Expert in Practice within Darlington to gain knowledge in conducting facilitated practice-based research. The area of study that I am passionate about is Life Story Work. I’ve learned so much and really want to share it with others.
I truly believe that Life Story Work underpins the work that we all do as practitioners and that it needs to be at the heart of all practice when supporting children and families. Life story work is such a broad term and can be quite overwhelming to think about, so I have collated lots of information about Life Story Work in general and how we do things in Darlington in hopes that it might help others understand a little more about the area of Life Story Work.
What is Life Story Work?
Defining life story work can be challenging due to its many elements and varied approaches. There are numerous reasons to engage in life story work with children and young people, and the type of work needed will vary based on their individual situations.
Generally, life story work aims to help children understand who they are, where they come from, and what has happened to them. It supports children in comprehending different perspectives regarding the decisions made in their lives. Ultimately, life story work seeks to help children create a narrative that connects their past, present, and future.
Children who live with their birth families have many opportunities to know their past and to clarify past and present events. However, children separated from their birth families are often denied these opportunities; they may have changed families, social workers, schools, and homes and moved away from familiar neighbourhoods and communities. Children who lose track of their past and are confused about the present will likely find it difficult to develop emotionally and socially. They will struggle to develop a secure understanding of who they are, have difficulty developing secure attachments to other adults, and may get 'stuck' in damaging fantasies they form to make sense of their confusion.
Life story work can be about preparing children to move to a new life in a new family, but it ‘can also be an essential part of the recovery process for all traumatized children’ (Rose and Philpot 2005, P15).
Direct Work
What is it?
Direct work provides children and young people with an opportunity to express their feelings about significant events that have occurred and gain some understanding of these events. It is important to help children and young people understand what is happening to them and why; they require an avenue to express their views, wishes and feelings regarding the social worker's involvement, how they and their family are functioning, and receive support to feel confident about their future.
Who can do it?
Anyone who is part of the child’s network. It’s beneficial for it to be done with someone who has a good relationship with the child.
Top Tips for Direct Work
- Consider whether the timing is right for the child/young person to undertake direct work – this could have a negative impact if they are not prepared for this. One of the purposes of life work is to help the child/young person to develop resilience.
- Go at their pace.
- Think carefully about the venue for the work; it is important that the child/young person feels safe so it needs to be somewhere comfortable where the child/young person is not observed by others so that they can get upset if they need to. They need to be able to express their feelings, good and bad to help them to recognise, reflect on and express feelings.
- Think about who will be around to support the child/young person after the session; help the child/young person to think about who makes them feel safe. Make sure that the session finishes with positive things, a game, a different conversation.
1. Building Trust and Rapport
- Consistency and Reliability: Planned sessions provide a structured and predictable environment, which helps build trust and rapport with the child. Consistency in interactions reassures children and makes them feel safe.
- Tailored Approach: Planning allows social workers to tailor their approach to meet the specific needs and preferences of each child, fostering a stronger connection.
2. Effective Communication
- Clear Objectives: Having a clear plan ensures that the objectives of each session are met. This helps in effectively communicating with the child and addressing their needs and concerns.
- Active Listening: Planned sessions allow social workers to focus on active listening and meaningful engagement, rather than being reactive or unprepared.
3. Understanding the Child’s World
- Comprehensive Assessment: Planning helps in conducting thorough assessments of the child’s situation, including their emotional, social, and developmental needs.
- Capturing the Child’s Voice: Structured sessions provide opportunities for children to express themselves, ensuring their voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.
4. Addressing Trauma and Emotional Needs
- Safe Environment: Planned direct work creates a safe space for children to explore and express their emotions, which is especially important for those who have experienced trauma.
- Emotional Support: It allows social workers to provide consistent emotional support, helping children process their experiences and build resilience.
5. Goal Setting and Progress Tracking
- Setting Goals: Planning helps in setting realistic and achievable goals for the child’s development and well-being.
- Monitoring Progress: Regularly planned sessions enable social workers to monitor the child’s progress and make necessary adjustments to their care plan.
6. Legal and Ethical Considerations
- Documentation: Planned direct work ensures that all interactions and interventions are properly documented, which is essential for legal and ethical accountability.
- Informed Decisions: It supports informed decision-making by providing a clear record of the child’s needs, preferences, and progress.
1. Create a Safe and Inclusive Environment
- Encourage Open Communication: Foster an environment where children feel safe to express their thoughts and ideas. Ensure they know their opinions are valued and respected.
- Use Multiple Communication Methods: Recognize that children communicate in different ways. Use verbal discussions, drawings, role-playing, and digital tools to gather their input.
2. Use Age-Appropriate Tools
- Visual Aids: Use visual aids like charts, diagrams, and pictures to help children understand the planning process and express their ideas.
- Interactive Activities: Engage children in interactive activities such as games, storytelling, and creative projects to make the planning process fun and engaging.
3. Incorporate Their Interests
- Personalise the Process: Tailor the planning activities to align with the children's interests and preferences. This makes the process more relevant and engaging for them.
- Ask for Feedback: Regularly ask children for feedback on the planning process and make adjustments based on their suggestions.
4. Empower Decision-Making
- Provide Choices: Give children options to choose from when making decisions. This empowers them and helps them feel more involved in the process.
- Discuss Consequences: Explain the potential outcomes of different choices to help children understand the impact of their decisions.
5. Document and Reflect
- Record Ideas: Document the children's ideas and suggestions through writing, audio recordings, or videos. This ensures their contributions are captured and can be revisited.
- Reflect Together: Regularly reflect on the progress and outcomes of the planning process with the children. Discuss what worked well and what could be improved.
6. Celebrate Contributions
- Acknowledge Efforts: Celebrate and acknowledge the children's contributions to the planning process. This reinforces the value of their input and encourages continued participation.
- Show Impact: Demonstrate how their ideas have been implemented and the positive changes that resulted. This helps children see the tangible impact of their involvement.
Virtual Memory Box
What is it?
Virtual Memory Box is a digital tool to keep precious memories and mementos safe. It’s been developed together with children and young people in care, social workers, and carers, so it works in the best way for you.
What does it do?
Virtual Memory Box is a digital tool, that can be used on phones, tablet, laptops or desktop computers. It keeps memories safe and well organised, so they can be looked at any time, now or in future years. For children and young people, it can help them to remember the people, places and experiences that are special in their life. For Social Workers and Carers, it helps with life story work, understanding the young person’s journey, and building their identity.
Why do we need it?
- Physical memories - like photos, papers, videos - anything you want to keep that means something to you, often get lost, damaged or stolen.
- Memories posted on social media or the internet can be open to abuse or misuse, and can be deleted by accident or on purpose.