Block 2 - Key Points

Talk about life experiences helps to bring out what is shared and what is different among people, and contributes to  sense of who we are, our identity Sharing life experiences begins at an early age Encouraging people of all ages to talk about the past can be a way to help them manage change in their lives and establish identity in the present Children who have had experience of separation and loss in their lives can be helped to deal with this through finding ways to tell their life stories Life story work is as much about dealing with the present and preparing for the future as it is about sorting out feelings about the past Life story work may not be appropriate for every child, and the child's wishes should be respected at all stages. Both truth and fiction may play a part in life story work. There are basic principles in life story work which could apply at any age or stage of life Babies and young children seek out attachment relationships with a few key people in their immediate lives Attachment is not an automatic process. It depends on stable and responsive relationships Children develop internal working models which help to make sense of what goes on around them and know what to do Developing these internal working models required exploration from a secure base, provided by an attachment figure An internal working model is made up from scripts or stories which people tell themselves and which contribute to their sense of identity Children who don;t have opportunities to develop their stories need to be provided with the means to support identity building through life story work.

Unit 5