Improving the quality of life story books

[RubyRedfortSecretAgent]

Interesting piece on Radio 4 You and Yours programme today. Dept of Education has given a grant to a charity (Coram) to work with local authorities to help them improve the quality of life story books.

You can listen here approximately 15 minutes into programme.

Includes an interview with the director of Coram and an adoptive parent.

There was an article in the Guardian last week as well:
www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2015/jul/31/life-story-books-adopted-children-past

The sooner the better in my opinion. High point from one of mine, aimed at a toddler: 'Mummy undertook a parenting assessment'

Although while I am fully on board with the importance of doing life story work with our kids, I do wonder if there's something of a fetish about life story books. I think it would be much more worthwhile to invest time and effort in equipping the adoptive parents with all the facts (which isn't often done, or done right) and with whatever memorabilia there are available. We are then able to translate that to our child in whatever age appropriate way they need at the time. Creating a 'life story book' which is somehow supposed to cover every perspective the child will ever need on their story at any age is a poor substitute for actually making sure we and they are fully informed.