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Your agency will be there to support you through the assessment and you can discuss any areas with them that have arisen during this module. In the meantime, if you want to get further tips on compiling Life Stories we recommend the following resources.

Life Story Books for Adopted Children
Written by Joy Rees and published by Jessica Kingsley in 2009 This clear and concise book shows a new family-friendly way to compile a Life Story Book. 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 past and early trauma.

Digital Life Story Work
Written by Simon P Hammond and Neil J Cooper and published by BAAF in 2013 This innovative guide brings the benefits of life story work – traditionally undertaken with younger children – to young people and adolescents. Digital life story work charts new territory through the use of computers, free software, smartphones and camcorders in a range of contemporary and exciting ways.

Using Stories as a Therapeutic Tool with Children
Written by Margot Sutherland This practical handbook begins with the philosophy and psychology underpinning the therapeutic value of story telling. It shows how to use story telling as a therapeutic tool with children and how to make an effective response when a child tells a story to you.

For help compiling life story books go to:

www.lifestoryworks.org

www.adoptionlifestorybooks.co.uk

www.adoptionuk.org/

Books to Help Children talk about their Feelings

Maurice and the Bundle of Worries
Written by Jill Seeney and published by BAAF in 2007
Maurice has a big bundle of worries and eventually finds a friend who can help him. The book explores the importance of sharing worries and learning to manage them. A booklet called My Book of Worries is included at the back of the book, for children to draw and write the things they remember.

Elfa and the Box of Memories
Written by Michelle Bell and published by BAAF in 2008
In this picture book, Elfa the elephant discovers that sharing her memories and remembering the good things that happened is more helpful than keeping them locked away. This book reinforces the importance of memories and the part they play in making us who we are. Adults can use this story as an aid to doing life story work with young children, to help them remember the good times and also the bad, thus helping them deal with troubled pasts. A booklet called My Book of Memories is included at the back of the book, for children to draw and write the things they remember.

Kit Kitten and the Topsy-Turvy Feelings
Written by Jane Evans and published by Jessica Kingsley in 2015
Kit Kitten and the Topsy-Turvy Feelings is a therapeutic storybook for children aged 2 to 6 about a kitten called Kit whose parent isn't always able to care for them. To help support Kit Kitten, Kindly Cat comes to their house and helps Kit to identify the feelings that are mixed up inside.

How are you Feeling Today Baby Bear
Written by Jane Evans and published by Jessica Kingsley in 2014
This is the story of Baby Bear who lives in a home where the Big Bears have fights and arguments at night. A gentle therapeutic story to help children aged 2 to 6 years who have experience violence at the home to express and explore difficult feelings.

Where is Poppy’s Panda
Written by David Pitcher and published by BAAF in 2009
This illustrated book for young children (aged three and above) explores transition, loss and change and the importance of maintaining continuity in a child’s life. The book is accompanied by practical guidelines for adults reading the story with children that provide examples of questions and statements to encourage and initiate conversations. Every child will bring their own understanding to the story and ask their own questions, but all children will be delighted and reassured when Poppy’s panda is finally found!

A Safe Place for Rufus
Written by Jill Sweeney and published by BAAF in 2012
This colourful picture book for young children, aged 4-8 years old, explores the importance of feeling safe and banishing fears. Rufus the cat lives with a family, who looks after him, feeds him his favourite foods and gives him lots of cuddles. He feels happy and safe, especially when he is lying on his favourite blue cushion. But he didn’t always feel this way. Like Rufus, children have to discover a way to banish their fears, and like Rufus, they can be helped by finding a "safe place" of their own. Accompanied by comprehensive guidelines containing useful suggestions for questions and activities to encourage children to think about their own behaviour; talk about their own fears and bad memories; and identify their own safe places.

Nutmeg gets Adopted
Written by Judith Foxon and published by BAAF in 2001.
This book tells the story of Nutmeg, a little squirrel, and his younger sister and brother who goes to live with a new family after their birth mother realises that she cannot keep them safe.

This book is one of a series of Nutmeg books that addresses a range of issues that adopted children may face. The books are:

Nutmeg gets a letter
The story will again help parents explain to their young adopted child why their first mummy could not look after them and that it is all right to feel both happy and sad when they think about her. The author explores the helpful role of friendships with other adopted children likely to be dealing with the same issues, and also the importance of reassuring the child that their birth mother is herself being looked after.

Nutmeg gets a little help
This book will help parents explain to their young adopted child why their birth parents could not look after them, and shows how good memories from their child's earlier life can be captured and retained while resolving the bad. The author explores the helpful role of life story work and how this can help a child to come to terms with confusing feelings, acknowledge and make sense of the past, and build a sense of self-worth.

Nutmeg gets a little sister
The adventures of Nutmeg, the small red squirrel, continue with this appealing story exploring family relationships, which can be particularly complicated for adopted children. Their adoptive family may include birth children or children who have been previously adopted, older brothers and sisters or younger siblings. This diverse mix can lead to uncertainty, confusion and, if a new child joins the family, a need to re-negotiate family roles. Comprehensive practice guidelines, which accompany the book, will help parents and professionals to get the most out of the story and to deal with some of the problems and concerns that could arise when considering sibling adoption.

Nutmeg gets cross
This book continues the story of Nutmeg, the small red squirrel who with his younger sister and brother, featured in the popular and well-received Nutmeg Gets Adopted (published by BAAF in 2001). Suitable for post-adoption work with children, this new story offers a practical way to identify, explore and understand painful feelings that are likely to surface following adoption - often triggered by seemingly happy events such as birthdays or contact with birth siblings, but also due to problems at school such as bullying and being behind their peers.

Nutmeg gets into trouble
In this story, Nutmeg is enjoying school but has started having problems since the arrival of Dill, another squirrel, who lives with a foster family. Dill calls people names and bullies the other animals, and Nutmeg gets into trouble for fighting him when trying to protect his friends. But, with the help of his parents, teachers and schoolmates, Nutmeg learns to understand Dill’s difficulties and help him overcome them.