What are the benefits and problems of encouraging people who are receiving care to talk about their past? What skills and sensitivities are required by workers to be able to undertake this work successfully?
What are the benefits and problems of encouraging people who are receiving care to talk about their past? What skills and sensitivities are required by workers to be able to undertake this work successfully?
For some people receiving care it can be difficult to maintain a sense of who they are, life experiences "can threaten or undermine people's ability to sustain or communicate their identity, a sense of who they are" (Unit 14, p.57). Whilst there are many benefits to encouraging people to talk about their past there can also be many problems, both for the carer and the cared for. To ensure a successful outcome a wide range of "skills and sensitivities" would be needed.
Life story work is used with children and young people who, for whatever reason, need to talk about their past. Children and young people who have been separated from their birth parents and family could suffer from attachment disorder with problems and issues over their identity, "their past may be lost, much of it forgotten" (Offprints, p.73). This could lead to low self-esteem and self worth with feelings of "apathy and a depressed fatalistic outlook" (Offprints p.74), feeling worthless with problems moving forward and developing emotionally. To deal with their separation or loss children and young people can be helped and encouraged to talk about and look at their past through life story work, this could be in the form of a book, photo album, video or audio tape. Life story work can be an important tool in helping children and young people to find and reconstruct their self-identity, finding out who they are, what has happened and why "and incorporate memories and experiences from their past into their present identity" (Offprints p.74), bridging gaps in their lives and producing clarity of their roots. This is important as many children and young people feel guilt and blame themselves for things that they had no control over in their past. By seeing things how they really were "and not as dangerous, idealised fantasies"(Offprints p.74) they can take away the guilt and self blame and begin rebuilding their lives. Having worked in residential childcare for many years in the past I have had experience of life story books and the positive understanding a child/young person can get of their past whilst participating in the making of one. Life story work is a positive way to increase a sense of self worth and build on self-esteem and give a young person an identity. However, recalling past events may not come easily. Jamie Knight, (Unit 14 p.18), said "making the book was 'good' although his social worker Sarah said the whole process was actually 'difficult for Jamie to do', particularly remembering his mother whom he hadn't seen since he was 5". There may be painful memories and reliving these memories may cause distressed and disturbed behaviour, they may feel that they will not be believed. There could also be problems for the carer. Some of the information disclosed may be distressing to hear and there may be issues surrounding confidentiality, particularly in cases of abuse. Ryan & Walker (cited in Unit 14, p.18) warn that life story books "may not always be appropriate for every child and that it should never be used as a substitute for skilled and long term therapy".
For some people receiving care it can be difficult to maintain a sense of who they are, life experiences "can threaten or undermine people's ability to sustain or communicate their identity, a sense of who they are" (Unit 14, p.57). Whilst there are many benefits to encouraging people to talk about their past there can also be many problems, both for the carer and the cared for. To ensure a successful outcome a wide range of "skills and sensitivities" would be needed.
Life story work is used with children and young people who, for whatever reason, need to talk about their past. Children and young people who have been separated from their birth parents and family could suffer from attachment disorder with problems and issues over their identity, "their past may be lost, much of it forgotten" (Offprints, p.73). This could lead to low self-esteem and self worth with feelings of "apathy and a depressed fatalistic outlook" (Offprints p.74), feeling worthless with problems moving forward and developing emotionally. To deal with their separation or loss children and young people can be helped and encouraged to talk about and look at their past through life story work, this could be in the form of a book, photo album, video or audio tape. Life story work can be an important tool in helping children and young people to find and reconstruct their self-identity, finding out who they are, what has happened and why "and incorporate memories and experiences from their past into their present identity" (Offprints p.74), bridging gaps in their lives and producing clarity of their roots. This is important as many children and young people feel guilt and blame themselves for things that they had no control over in their past. By seeing things how they really were "and not as dangerous, idealised fantasies"(Offprints p.74) they can take away the guilt and self blame and begin rebuilding their lives. Having worked in residential childcare for many years in the past I have had experience of life story books and the positive understanding a child/young person can get of their past whilst participating in the making of one. Life story work is a positive way to increase a sense of self worth and build on self-esteem and give a young person an identity. However, recalling past events may not come easily. Jamie Knight, (Unit 14 p.18), said "making the book was 'good' although his social worker Sarah said the whole process was actually 'difficult for Jamie to do', particularly remembering his mother whom he hadn't seen since he was 5". There may be painful memories and reliving these memories may cause distressed and disturbed behaviour, they may feel that they will not be believed. There could also be problems for the carer. Some of the information disclosed may be distressing to hear and there may be issues surrounding confidentiality, particularly in cases of abuse. Ryan & Walker (cited in Unit 14, p.18) warn that life story books "may not always be appropriate for every child and that it should never be used as a substitute for skilled and long term therapy".
