Therapeutic Life Story Work helps children and young people make sense of their experiences, understand the impact of trauma, and build a stronger sense of identity. Through a structured and supportive process, children are given the opportunity to explore their past, process difficult experiences, and move forward with greater confidence and emotional security.
Traditional life story work often focuses on recording key events and information about a child’s journey through care. While valuable, it may leave important questions unanswered and may not fully address the emotional impact of early experiences.
Therapeutic Life Story Work goes further. It is a structured therapeutic intervention that helps children understand what has happened in their lives, explore how those experiences have affected them, and develop a coherent sense of self. By linking past experiences with current thoughts, feelings and behaviours, children can begin to understand their story in a way that promotes healing and growth.
Children who have experienced trauma, loss, separation or instability often carry unanswered questions about their lives.
Therapeutic Life Story Work can help children:
The process also helps carers gain a deeper understanding of the child’s experiences and behaviours, creating stronger relationships built on trust, empathy and emotional security.
Our approach combines thorough research with direct therapeutic work.
The Life Story Worker carefully gathers and reviews information about the child or young person’s life. This may include working with social workers, reviewing key documents and, where appropriate, speaking with birth family members and previous carers.
Using researched information alongside the child’s own memories and experiences, our practitioners undertake direct therapeutic work with both the child and their carers.
Sessions are adapted to meet the child’s age, communication style and emotional needs.
Creative activities may include:
The work is often recorded on large rolls of paper, creating a visual journey that develops throughout the process. While a life story book is produced at the end, the greatest therapeutic value comes from the journey itself.
Following an initial discovery conversation, we recommend the most appropriate level of support based on the child’s age, readiness and circumstances.
A 12-month programme designed for long-term and stable placements where there is a high level of readiness to engage.
Includes:
A six-month programme for medium-term placements or situations where trust is developing.
Includes:
An eight-week programme suitable for emergency or short-term placements, or where engagement may be more limited.
Includes:
An eight-week programme specifically designed for young children.
Includes:
Our Therapeutic Life Story Work is available to all children and young people in care, not just those fostered through our agency, who may benefit from additional support to understand their experiences, build their sense of identity and process difficult life events.
This may include children and young people who:
If you would like to discuss Therapeutic Life Story Work for a child or young person, our team would be happy to help.
Therapeutic Life Story Work is a structured therapeutic intervention that helps children and young people understand their experiences, make sense of difficult life events and develop a stronger sense of identity. It combines researched information about a child's history with therapeutic activities that support emotional understanding and healing.
Life Story Work helps children understand the facts of their personal history and journey through care. Therapeutic Life Story Work builds on this foundation by helping children explore the emotional impact of their experiences, including trauma, loss, attachment and identity, in a safe and supportive way.
The length of support depends on the needs of the child or young person. Step by Step offers programmes ranging from eight weeks to twelve months, with different tiers available based on age, readiness and placement circumstances.
The process begins with an initial discovery conversation involving the child or young person, their carers and professionals. A trained Life Story Worker then researches the child's history and undertakes direct therapeutic work using creative approaches such as timelines, drawings, storytelling, memory work and reflective activities. The work is tailored to the individual needs of each child.
To discuss a referral or learn more about Therapeutic Life Story Work, please contact our team at: lifestoryenquiries@stepbystep.org.uk
We will be happy to discuss the needs of the child or young person and help identify the most appropriate level of support.
The Step by Step Abseil saw a group of fearless fundraisers take on the 100 metre drop from Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower, raising over £14,000 for young people going through hard times.
