If the person with dementia finds it difficult to communicate, family members and friends may be able to provide key information The traditional Life Story Book generally finishes with a little information about the adoptive parents, the adoption hearing and the ‘forever family’. The implication being that the child fully understands these concepts. Foster families and residential staff should be encouraged to record the story of the child's stay with them as fully as possible. Foster carers must 'encourage the child to reflect on and understand her/his history, according to the child's age, and to keep appropriate memorabilia'. All children in care should have a memory book and foster carers should be encouraged to compile a photograph album and Memory Book recording information and significant events throughout the time the child lives with them. The Memory Book is not the same as the Life Story Book, but some of the information from the Memory Book and some of the photographs should be incorporated into this. The foster carer's Memory Book could include: If social workers have completed the book it needs to be shared with you, the adoptive parent, first. This will allow you to understand the significance of the information contained in it and the relevance of the social worker’s comments.

Future: Finally give the child the sense of a positive and hopeful future, identifying a few plans and aspirations both short and long term; Be sensitive, think carefully about what information the person would want to be shared, and be prepared for them to find the process emotional Remember to thread positive subliminal messages throughout the book. The child is loved, loveable and precious. The book needs to raise their self-esteem; Try not to bombard the person with too many specific questions. General questions or opening up the conversation about a topic may be easier. For example: “Can you tell me about where you grew up?”What is life story work? Essentially, it involves working with a person with dementia, family members and friends to record key moments of their past and present lives, usually in a scrapbook, photo album or video album. The book or album (which may also record current likes and dislikes and future wishes and aspirations) will play an important role in providing person-centred care and support. If someone finds it difficult to communicate their life story, other family members and friends may be able to provide key information. You can also try to prompt them by using familiar photos of people or places. You can design a life story box/book/film/song in any way meaningful to the person with dementia however, if you are looking for a more structured template, The Alzheimer’s Society & Dementia UK have resources to print which can be found below: A favourite tune or song can raise a smile or laugh and can ease anxiety. It can also play a key role in helping family, friends and care workers to engage with the person when communication is difficult or non-existent. Even if the person has not heard a particular song from their teens for many years, the chances are that if they hear it again they will still be able to remember every word and sing along.

memory boxes: these contain meaningful items and are particularly useful for people with sensory impairments (such as sight loss or perceptual problems) and those in the later stages of dementia who rely more on touch or smell to communicate The actual process of telling a child’s story will also help with attunement - the foundation of a healthy attachment. It is not just the words, it is tone of voice, facial expressions and gestures that are important, and the child’s feelings and emotions can be gently explored and explained. When working with older children and young people who remain in care, then disclosing identifying information may not raise the same concerns. They usually retain their birth surnames; they may already have many other details and may still be in touch with members of the birth family.

What is one of your fondest childhood memories?

Present - Start with current information about the child. Writing in the 3rd person is generally regarded as good practice - the child is immediately one step removed from the story and this will make it easier for them to revisit past experiences and cope with difficult emotions. Use the child’s adoptive name, age, description, likes and interests. Include details of the adoptive family, home, friends and school. Then move on to different types of families and a simple explanation of adoption. After firmly establishing the child’s place in their adoptive family, it is possible to then move to the beginning of the child’s story. Yet for children who don’t grow up in their birth families, many of these memories and their context can be lost. Poet Lemn Sissay wrote: Details of foster carers are helpful and, if there was more than one placement, an explanation for each move, emphasising that this was not because the child was ‘bad’ or ‘naughty’. Be something the child can return to when he/she needs to deal with their feelings and clarify and/or help them to accept the past; and supporting a person with dementia’ (524),‘ Dementia and the brain’ (456), ‘ Changes in behaviour’ (525) and ‘ Top